


The Call of Thra

by Xenobia



Series: Dark Crystal Chronicles [2]
Category: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childbirth, Drama, Dreamfasting, F/M, Gelfling Culture, Genocide, Humor, M/M, Marriage/mating, Mystery, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Romance, Sexual Content, Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2020-12-07 18:15:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 166,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20980253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenobia/pseuds/Xenobia
Summary: Takes place where "The Name Challenge" left off. Now mated for life to her Paladin, Seladon attempts to balance her duties to the clans and her personal life as a wife. Rian's leadership abilities are put to the test. Brea tries to advise him while caught up in her own romance with Rek'yr, completely unaware that her Dousan suitor isn't the only male interested in her. Meanwhile, the skeksis continue their plotting and the danger to the clans is far from over.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is going to stray more from canon than the first one did. The main reason is because we don't know what's going to happen in season 2, so now I'm making it up as I go along.

The land around the Crystal Castle was becoming slowly but steadily less hospitable. One could blame it on the Darkening. The blight had been retreating from many territories since the battle at Stone in the Wood, but not so with these lands. Vegetation had been dying off little by little, and wildlife was retreating as well. Soon these lands would be as barren as the Crystal Sea, though the Dark Wood not far from here was still lush and thriving.

Tonight the concerns of the beings inhabiting the castle weren't focused on the state of the surrounding lands. Standing in the Crystal Chamber, the gathered skeksis had found something much more disturbing to draw their attention. They stared at the images being reflected for their surveillance via the dark crystal—which had once been the Crystal of Truth before they corrupted it.

The Emperor was rubbing his chin in thought as the scene played out before them, transmitted to the crystal by one of the unnatural creatures bound to it. Still in experimental stages, the crystal bats were intended to serve as spies. They were far from perfected, but they their longevity was improving with each new colony the scientist created. Eventually they should be able to travel further and retain life longer before expiring, but for now these short range surveillances would have to do.

Nobody was currently thinking of the problem with their artificial minions degenerating so quickly once they traveled out of range of the crystal's influence. Right now, the entire colony of skeksis were focusing on the visual information being transmitted back to them, and every one of them was perplexed.

"What are those gelfling doing to each other?" SkekSo questioned at last. "Is fighting one another in the nude some form of gelfling ritual I haven't heard of?"

"I...I believe they are mating," said SkekZok the Ritual Master.

"That's my impression as well," agreed skekTek. "Gelfling are quite fond of mating."

"Oh, of all the things to show us!" Complained SkekEkt in disgust. "Shut it down, for pity's sake! My eyes are burning!"

"Chamberlain agrees," spouted SkekSil, covering his eyes. "How is gelfling mating ritual important to our plans?"

"I don't choose what the crystal bats show us," snapped the scientist. "No fault of mine that gelfling can't think beyond their baser instincts! I sent it to spy on the All Maudra, not give us a peep show."

"But that _is_ the All Maudra in this image," SkekZok pointed out. "I recognize the red hair gelfling with her, too. One of her paladins."

"Well, the image has gone dark anyhow," observed the Scroll Keeper. "Fortunately, my eyes are bad enough that I couldn't make out most of it."

The Emperor made an annoyed sound and shook his head. "Bah. They aren't lasting much longer than the last time we sent some out. The same goes for our Garthim. Scientist, I want you to put in double the effort. Find a solution to make your creations last longer, else they'll be of little use to us."

SkekTek bowed, cringing away from their lord's irritation. "Y-yes, my Emperor. Of course."

* * *

Vaurin woke with the rise of the son, as was his habit since his training days. He sat up, stretched and yawned. Upon realizing the time, he was mildly surprised to have woken up so early. Given how late he an his lady had stayed up the night before, he'd expected to sleep in on this rare occasion.

The paladin looked to his right, where his new wife slept on her stomach. Her face was turned away from him, and her long silken hair lay spread out over the bedding. Vaurin smiled, and he ran his fingers through Seladon's silver-violet locks, gently combing some of the kinks out of it. He gathered that hair up and eased it to one side so that he could gaze upon the females beautiful, translucent wings and nude backside.

Last night had been bliss. The tingling feeling he'd experienced after the pair bond was finally fading, though a hint of it still lingered. Trying not to disturb her sleep, Vaurin leaned over to plant a soft kiss on Seladon's cheek. He then pulled the covers up over her to the waist and got out of bed.

Seeing his clothes from the night before still scattered over the floor, Vaurin picked the garments up, folded them and put them away. He found and slipped into his robe, and then he walked over to the large, semi-circle window to see the view.

This was only his second time to gaze upon Ha'rar from the vantage point of the All Maudra's chambers. He had to admit, it was a spectacular view. Vaurin stretched again, scratched his side and then paused. He'd stepped in something, he realized. Something powdery.

The paladin looked down and moved his right foot aside. He cocked his head curiously, and he squatted down on the floor to investigate more closely.

"Dust?" he mused softly. It was all in one spot, sooty and dark gray. Perhaps someone had cleaned the bed chamber last night before he and his wife retired. They might have gotten in a hurry to get the chamber ready for the newly bonded couple and forgot to dispose of their sweepings. That would explain why it was all in one spot.

"Hmm." He swiped a finger through the substance, then rubbed it between that finger and his thumb. Vaurin sniffed, avoiding bringing his finger too close to his nose and inhaling the stuff. It smelled like...burnt hair? That was the best way he could describe it.

The paladin frowned. It wasn't dust. It was more like ash. The way it smeared over his finger when he rubbed it and the smell confirmed it, but where had it come from? It couldn't have simply blown in on the wind from someone's chimney down in the village. Not in just this one spot.

"Mmm, Vaurin?"

He got back to his feet and turned to find his lovely wife sitting up in the mussed bed, rubbing her eyes. He crossed the room to her and slid onto the mattress beside her.

"Good morning, my love." He kissed her, grinning compulsively. Even with her hair disheveled and her makeup smeared, Seladon was a beautiful sight to his eyes. "Sleep well?"

She nodded, blinking the sleep from her eyes. Her long tresses covered her upper nudity just sufficiently enough to teasingly veil her breasts from view. "I had a strange dream at one point, though."

"Oh?" He put an arm around her to draw her close, and he nuzzled the crown of her head as she leaned into him and put her head on his shoulder. "Tell me about it."

Seladon frowned. "I'm not certain. I can't recall details, but I felt as though we were being watched by something. It's silly, I know. There was nobody here save you and I. Perhaps it was just my imagination acting up after having so many eyes on us at our joining ceremony. Then there was that sound we both thought that we heard and..."

She shrugged helplessly, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder. "Never mind me. I hear it's common to feel a bit out of sorts after freshly pair bonding with a mate."

Vaurin nodded, but there was now a note of disquiet inside of him. He recalled the shrill noise he and Seladon both heard last night, and he remembered the last time they'd heard such a sound before that. They had seen no evidence of any un-natural creatures in the sky, so they'd brushed it off as some sort of feedback from the intense spirit bonding they'd experienced.

His gaze went to the vanity table against the wall next to the window, and the spot just to the left of it on the floor where he'd stepped in the ash-like residue. The bat creatures that had fallen from the sky that morning in Stone in the Wood had disintegrated into dust just like that.

"You've gone so quiet," observed Seladon, pulling back to look at him. "What are you thinking of?"

It was on the tip of Vaurin's tongue to tell her his suspicions about the connection between the substance on the floor, the sound they'd heard last night and her perception of being watched. The paladin in him was of the mind that it was his duty as a protector of the realm to inform the All Maudra of any possible threats to her or the clan. The husband in him didn't want to spoil the peaceful tranquility of being a newly bonded couple with an entire future ahead of them.

Seladon was bound to notice the dust pile, though.

"I think we should bathe," he said, kissing her softly, "have some breakfast, and then make our plans to get away from the bustle of the citadel and township for a while. Oh and, uh...I suspect housekeeping missed a spot yesterday when preparing your chambers for our joining night. Careful when you go near the window; there is a pile of dust on the floor."

"Oh?" Seladon looked at the spot he gestured to, and she narrowed her eyes and huffed. "Tsk. With the generous compensation I offer them, one would think the cleaners would be more thorough. I don't recall that being there last night, though."

Vaurin shrugged, choosing not to comment on her rather entitled complaint. She had grown up a princess after all, privileged and pampered. Seladon had also grown up with tremendous responsibilities heaped on her shoulders and pressures that common gelfling could never empathize with.

"You and I were rather preoccupied last night," he murmured, smiling at her. "I wouldn't have cared if we were in a dirty barn, personally. The state of this chamber was the last thing on my mind."

She smiled as he raised her hand to his lips and kissed each of her fingers, one by one. "You have a valid point, my love. I shall speak with housekeeping about the lapse, nonetheless."

"Try to be kind about it," encouraged Vaurin. "Yesterday was a big day for everyone. I'm sure the whole of Thra was buzzing with news about the All Maudra sealing her bond with her mate of choice. They were probably just excited. Everyone makes mistakes."

Seladon grimaced. "Don't I know that. Very well, sweet husband. I'll try not to be harsh with my admonishment when I speak to the head matron about this."

Her answer satisfied Vaurin well enough. There were some habits he doubted he would break Seladon of, just as he had habits he was sure she could do without. Perhaps with time, they would balance one another out. Seladon was already more understanding of the plight of the lower class, and he in return was gaining leadership qualities he'd never had before. Vaurin firmly believed that they were a good influence on each other.

* * *

Miles away in the Dark Wood, Rian sat in the council chamber and rubbed his head. His clan had been debating whether to heed Seladon's advice and break tradition, wait for a while longer or just elect the best female candidate available as their next Maudra.

Already suffering a headache after a rough night's sleep, Rian tried to tune out all of the bickering and chatter. The nightmares had come to him sometime after midnight; nightmares about winged abominations, skeksis and Mira's death. Last night had been particularly rough on him, because at the end of the nightmare he saw a vision of Deet, sitting in a tangle of twisted roots somewhere in the depths of the forest, eyes glowing purple and veins of the same color pulsing all over her body.

He'd woken with her name screaming from his lips, and then he'd had no choice but to lunge for the chamber pot when the nausea hit him.

"Rian?"

He lifted his head and took his hand away from it. Brea was regarding him with quiet concern in her expressive hazel eyes.

"I'm all right," he told her, though that wasn't true by half.

"What if the All Maudra is wrong?" someone in the background cried. "It may sound wise in theory, but Rian's youth and inexperience are a further disadvantage. Even if we break tradition and allow a male to lead us, it takes more than bravery and determination to fill that role!"

"Were you not listening to what the All Maudra said before she left?" shot back another voice. "Princess Brea can serve as Rian's advisor, teach him what he needs to know about leadership responsibilities. It isn't as though we would just be tossing a childling onto the ruling seat and calling it a day."

Brea rolled her eyes a bit, and she spoke to Rian in a low whisper. "Would you like me to intervene? I may not be of the Stonewood, but they may listen to me out of respect for my sister and my station."

He was sorely tempted to take her up on that offer. There had been nothing but bickering and debating back and forth since the day Seladon made her proposal and left his clan to decide for themselves whether to go through with it or not.

"If I let you handle this for me now," whispered Rian back to her, "they might consider that a sign of weak leadership. I need to be able to speak for myself, even if the ideas I present aren't always my own."

Brea nodded in approval. "I agree."

"So...what do you think I should do?"

To her credit, the princess didn't roll her eyes again. Brea was a compassionate sort, more understanding than her older sister. "I think this is simply going to drag on all day long without end, if you let it. I would conclude the meeting for today and convene another one for the same time tomorrow. In fact, I think you should do that each day from now on if a decision isn't agreed upon within an hour of beginning these meetings."

He nodded, finding the idea to his liking. Doing it the way Princess Brea described would shave off the amount of time he had to spend listening to the arguments go back and forth. It would give everyone a break from it and allow a fresh start for all the next day.

Rian stood up and raised his voice. "All right then. We're no closer to solution today than we were yesterday, or the day before. I'm sure we're all tired and could use some refreshment, so we'll conclude this council now. We'll assemble here tomorrow to discuss it further, and hopefully the rest period will allow everyone to clear their heads."

"Just how many of these meetings are we going to have, Rian?" asked the messenger guard, his youthful face exasperated.

"As many as it takes," answered Rian, "until we can come to an agreement that will best benefit our clan and put an end to these debates. We'll hold council every single day to that end, if we have to. Whether it's me or a new Maudra, someone is going to have to take up the torch of leadership for our people. The sooner we arrive at a decision, the better off the Stonewood clan will be."

The gelfling in attendance looked at one another, murmuring softly amongst themselves. Nobody disputed Rian's decision, so he could only assume he'd used a proper enough voice of authority. The only way he knew to lead was through tactical means. He was more familiar with training for combat, so he did his best to fall back on that mindset. It would have to do for now.

"Go about your day," suggested Rian, "and sleep on it. We'll meet again at the same time tomorrow."

He waited for everyone to clear out before taking a seat again beside Brea. She rubbed his shoulder supportively as the exhausted young warrior rested his elbows on his knees and bowed his head.

"I have greater respect for your sister's position now," Rian confided. He rubbed sore eyes and looked at the beauty seated beside him, appreciating her encouragement. "If it's this bad now, what will it be like when I'm taking on the duties of a Maudra? That is, if the clan ever makes up their blasted minds and even chooses me."

"I know it's overwhelming," soothed Brea, "and it will be for a while. Your clan is disorganized and still recovering from the battle and the loss of Maudra Fara. She was clearly loved by her people."

"She was," agreed Rian. "It feels so wrong to try and take her place."

"Try not to see it that way," suggested Brea. "You may not believe it, but I think your presence here is holding this clan together. They resist Seladon's proposal because it's simply never been done before. Old traditions are hard to let go of. Try to be patient and take heart, Rian. They'll come around eventually."

Brea smirked. "And holding meetings every day is one way to help ensure that, by the way. They'll grow tired of it, and they're sure to start questioning why they're putting themselves through it at all when they have a hero of Thra ready and willing to guide them. You'll see."

"I hope you're right," he sighed. "If it weren't for you, I think I'd go mad."

Brea chuckled and patted his arm. "You're doing better than you think. Now come on; let's join our friends for a meal and put this behind us until tomorrow. Perhaps a brew or two can help ease your tension."

"Just don't let me overdo it," he told her seriously, getting up with the princess. "The last thing I need is to fall on my face drunk in front of all the gelfling I'm trying to impress as leader material."

* * *

Later that night after eating and washing up, Brea had some alone time with her suitor. The pair of them found a nice tree with thick, winding branches to sit in, and they watched she moons rise together. Rek'yr pointed out different star constellations and explained to Brea the names his clan had given them, and the meaning behind them.

"My people call that one the Hunter's Spear," said the handsome sand master as he traced an invisible line between star points with a finger. "It is said that many trine ago calamity befell our people. Many were lost and couldn't find their way to Thra without guidance. A great warrior asked Thra, the three suns and the three moons for guidance, so that he may help the fallen join Thra's song."

Brea listened intently, fascinated. "And what did they tell him?"

Rek'yr smiled in that quiet, thoughtful way of his before answering and looking back up at the sky. "They said for him to sacrifice his best weapon, a precious gift handed down to him from his forefathers. _'Give it to the heavens, and it will point the way home for your people, always. Both the living and the dead shall never be lost again in the Crystal Sea'._"

"Both the living and the dead?" Brea puzzled over it, and she traced the constellation with her eyes, noting the direction it was pointing.

"Yes," confirmed Rek'yr. "This warrior was the first to be called a master of the sands, because he hurled his spear into the skies as commanded, when the three brothers aligned and became one. New stars were born in its wake, forever pointing the way to sanctuary for the living, and the way to Thra for the dead."

"Oh, I see," Brea said, delighted. "Your people use that constellation to find your way to the Wellspring if you get lost in the desert!"

Rek'yr looked at her with admiration, and he gave a nod. "Yes, my princess. It would serve you well to remember that, should under any circumstance you and your loved ones ever need to seek safe haven in the Wellspring. Though my clan is reclusive and mistrustful of outsiders by nature, the times we live in give cause for exceptions to be made."

Brea watched him with concern. "Why are you telling me this? It sounds suspiciously like you intend to leave my side."

He immediately shook his head and took her hands in his. "Never, if I can help it. Thra alone knows what the future may hold, however. I say this to you not because I have any desire to part from you, but because I want you to know how to find safe haven, should anything happen to me. You are very important to me, Princess."

Brea's heart skipped a beat. The temptation to kiss him was strong, but as impulsive as she was, she didn't have her sister's gumption. Brea could be clever, sassy and brave enough on a good day, but she didn't have a strength of command like Seladon.

And Rek'yr had been so respectful, romantic and courteous. Brea sighed, lowering her gaze. She wished she was as bold as Seladon.

"What troubles you, Brea?"

She raised her eyes to meet his, fighting a childish urge to nibble her lower lip. "I'm honestly wondering if you'll ever kiss me again."

He smiled, and she swore a hint of pink colored his cheeks. "I'll be honest as well, Princess. I was waiting for the right moment."

For a moment, she wanted to yell at him that the right moment was always _now_, and she didn't need to be treated like fragile glassware. Instead, she smiled at him. "Well, if it's permission you want..."

Brea held her breath and took the initiative, pressing her lips against his. He didn't immediately respond, and she feared she'd made a mistake. Seconds later, however, he returned the pressure of her lips and cupped her face. Her heart pounded faster and she made a soft, needful sound in her throat. She couldn't count the number of times he had kissed her hand, but this would be the first time their lips had met.

* * *

Beneath the tree Brea and her suitor were in, Kylan stood quietly wittling a toy land strider. He couldn't say what inspired him to do it. Land striders weren't even his favorite animals. Something in him just felt like it needed to be done. He paused in his work, looked up and checked a sigh.

They were kissing. Wonderful.

He tried to feel happy for them. It was in his nature to be generous, after all. Despite that, all he could drudge up was a rather sick, resentful congratulations for the Dousan.

"You'll never get her that way."

Kylan paused, his carving knife going still. He looked up to see Rian approaching with a sympathetic little grin.

"I'm sorry," Kylan offered softly, "I don't quite follow."

Rian's eyes rolled a bit. "No need to pretend. I've been where you're at before, friend. I know what it's like to want someone and be too fearful to act."

Misunderstanding, Kylan frowned. "You...and the princess?"

"No. Never with Brea, but with another girl." Rian sighed, frowning briefly himself. "Only my competition was Thra itself, not another gelfling."

"Oh. You mean Deet."

Rian nodded. "I passed up so many opportunities to tell her how I felt, and now I may never get the chance."

Kylan patted him consolingly on the arm. "You never know. Don't give up hope. As for me...well, Brea seems to have already chosen another, and I'm really no good at competing for female attention."

"If you don't at least let her know you're interested, she'll have no reason to consider someone else."

Kylan started to say something, but then a Stonewood guard approached the pair of them and he shut his mouth. The guard's strides were hurried and purposeful, and his gaze was fixated on Rian. Kylan nodded at him to signal his friend that they weren't alone, and Rian turned around to face his approaching clan mate.

"Is something the matter?"

"Your presence is required in the council chamber," informed the guard. "The clan has made their decision."

"Oh. I see. What have they decided, then? You can speak in front of Kylan."

The guard glanced at the Spriton male, and then he shrugged. "Very well. After much debate, we've arrived at the conclusion that you are the most fit gelfling available to take on leadership of this clan. Whether it's a temporary solution or permanent depends on how you handle the responsibility, Rian. Should you prove to be a poor leader, then we'll have to select the most qualified female to be our next Maudra. Until then, you're elected as prince of the Dark Wood."

Rian exchanged a look with Kylan, and the flautist noticed the flash of dread in his friend's expression. He couldn't blame him. Never in the history of their kind had a male taken up the mantle of leadership, and there was bound to be many pitfalls in Rian's future before he grew into the role. Frankly, he looked rather terrified.

Kylan would have offered to accompany Rian to the council chamber as morale support, but this was Stonewood business. As an outsider, he doubted he would be welcome to attend whatever ceremony they planned to do to make it official.

"Congratulations," Kylan told him. "Just remember that you do have someone with experience to council you."

Rian took a deep breath, and he nodded. "All right. I suppose I need to address the council."

"The All Maudra also needs to be notified so that she may be present for the coronation and give her blessings," reminded the guard. "For now, we're going to discuss some minor issues that need to be seen to."

Rian nodded again, and Kylan thought he looked like he was marching to his own funeral as he followed his clan mate away.

* * *

Seladon was at her husband's family farm enjoying a visit and some time away from the citadel. She was helping Jeni prepare dinner when a rider came on a land strider, and she heard him talking to Vaurin outside before being invited inside.

"All Maudra, pardon the interruption," apologized the paladin with a salute. "I bring news from Stone in the Wood that requires your attention."

Seladon checked a sigh, but then she felt a twinge of anxiety. They wouldn't have interrupted her personal time with family if it weren't something important. "Is something wrong? Is my sister safe?"

"Princess Brea is fine, according to the messenger that came to us," assured the paladin. "There have been no attacks and nothing is amiss, but your presence is requested for a coronation."

She relaxed. "Ah, I see. So they've chosen a new Maudra, I take it."

The messenger looked uncomfortable, and a bit confused as well. "Not...exactly, my lady. I have never heard of such a thing, but the Stonewood messenger claimed that they're breaking tradition and passing leadership onto a male. They intend to crown that former castle guard named Rian, who I'm sure you remember."

Seladon's eyes widened. She looked at her husband, who appeared unmoved by the calm expression on his face, but she could see the calculating look in his amber gaze.

They'd done it. They'd _really_ done it. Seladon had harbored serious doubts that the Stonewood or any other clan would ever consider such a drastic break in tradition, but perhaps she'd underestimated their desperation.

"How...interesting."

Vaurin's mother spoke up, and her words shocked Seladon even further. "I _knew_ it! I saw the portent in my readings! The stones told me that major change was in the wind, that one of the clans would lose their Maudra and never replace her. Frankly, I expected it to be the Grottan, because Maudra Argot is so old."

Seladon kept forgetting that Jeni was a Sifa. She looked suspiciously at her husband again, and she wondered if Vaurin had some kind of vision or portent as well. He certainly didn't look surprised. Just thoughtful.

Baffi tugged at her skirts, reminding Seladon of his presence and the bowl of food she hadn't yet put down for him. She corrected the error, placing the food on the floor for him and giving him a pat.

"Well then, I suppose we should pack and make travel arrangements," Seladon announced. "Go and inform the Stonewood messenger that we'll leave first thing in the morning and, provided the weather is good and no complications arise, we should arrive by tomorrow night."

The paladin saluted her. "Yes, All Maudra. I shall see to it that a carriage is ready for you and your husband by the rise of the brothers."

The paladin made his exit, passing by Jermid as the younger brother came in from doing his chores outside. Jermid looked at the messenger curiously, and then at his family. "What was that all about?"

"We have to leave after supper," Vaurin explained.

"What? I thought you two were going to stay here for a few days! You've only stayed one night."

"Unfortunately, there is pressing business I must attend at Stone in the Wood," Seladon informed him. "We may be gone for several moons, but we'll return to visit again when we come back."

Jermid grimaced. "Is it always like this? Being the All Maudra, I mean. Don't you ever get any free time?"

"Hardly," Seladon admitted with a little smile. "But that's part of being in a position of leadership. One day your brother will earn the status of Captain, and—"

"Wait, I will?" _Now_ Vaurin looked surprised.

"Of course." Seladon shrugged. "I can think of few paladins as deserving of it as you are, my love."

"But won't that seem like favoritism? Not that I don't want to be promoted eventually, but if you elevate me so soon after our joining ceremony, it may give a bad impression."

"That's why you have to earn it," answered Seladon calmly, "and I'll have precious little to do with it, save give my blessing. Your peers will decide when and if you will be promoted, not I."

"Oh. I didn't consider that." He blushed a little, and Seladon couldn't resist the impulse to kiss him swiftly on the lips. For all his cleverness, for all his sensuality in the bedroom, her Vaurin could be humble to a fault.

"You don't recognize your own value at times," sighed Seladon. "But then, that's why I love you so much. If you had an ego like my own, I doubt you would be my husband."

Jeni grinned at her son, making no attempt to conceal the pride in her gaze. "He's always been a grounded, practical boy. Even when his infatuation with you began, I don't think Vaurin ever thought he would one day have you as his wife."

"Mother," mumbled Vaurin, blushing again.

"It's true," she insisted, looking at Seladon. "All he wanted to do from the moment he first saw you was serve you, and protect you. Not even _I_ could have predicted you would notice him one day, let alone pair bond with him. I'm so happy that I was wrong about that."

Privately, Seladon was glad for that as well. Perhaps if the tragedies she'd faced never occurred, she would still be blind to what a catch her paladin was. She might have never given him a second glance, regardless of how pleasing he was to the eye. The woman Seladon used to be would have seen just another guard in her hubris, nice to look at but definitely not suitable husband material.

The thought of missing out on finding and being with the love of her life, of being mated to anyone else, made her feel a bit nauseated. The thought of some other woman having access to his sweet body caused Seladon to clench her teeth.

"Well fortunately," she said after forcing herself to relax, "I did notice him and I claimed him before some other trollop could."

Jermid snickered in the background at her word usage. "Territorial are we, sister?"

She saw no point in denying it. "Like you wouldn't believe. I don't really mind other females looking at him. How could they not? Should any of them attempt more than that, however..."

"They'll be missing some fingers," guessed Jermid. "Right?"

"I don't think we need to worry about that happening," reasoned Jeni. "Everyone knows your brother is the All Maudra's husband, and I sincerely doubt anyone would be foolish enough to make advances on him. I've never met a gelfling that would dare approach someone else's life mate, let alone the All Maudra's."

Seladon nodded, knowing her mother in law was right. It simply wasn't done, because once a couple pair bonded, it was for life and nothing save death could break that connection. The pair bonding simply wouldn't happen if two gelfling weren't compatible in spirit with each other, no matter how much they might try.

* * *

The next day before the first sun even crested the horizon, one of the servants knocked on their chamber door and called out a reminder that the couple needed to leave within the hour. Vaurin woke immediately, trained to react quickly. Hearing the woman's voice through the door, he relaxed and stopped reaching for the scabbard hanging from a hook in the wall nearby.

"Mmm?" Seladon stirred, frowning at the disturbance.

Vaurin leaned over her to kiss her on the forehead. "You don't need to get up right away if you don't want to. I can get our things together and have them loaded into the carriage, and I can wake you in half an hour to get ready."

She shook her head and rubbed her eyes. "No, I need time to wake up. I don't want to be stumbling through these corridors half asleep when we leave. Could you have someone bring some black tea with breakfast, though? That should help."

"Of course." He kissed her again, this time on the lips, and he got out of bed. He felt his wife's gaze on him as Vaurin walked across the chamber to fetch his robe, and he paused to look back at her. He couldn't resist a grin when he saw the appreciative way she was staring at his nude backside.

"Keep looking at me like that," he warned, "and we really _will_ be late to get on the road. You're putting naughty ideas in my head, darling."

She smirked back and sat up, letting the sheets fall to expose her own nudity. Now it was _his_ turn to stare, his gaze riveting to her perfect little breasts. His thoughts turned to the night before and how he'd cupped, fondled and kissed them, making those dark pink nipples tighten to hard little pebbles against his tongue.

"Is there something you want to say, sir?" Seladon purred, a subtle note of laughter in her voice.

"Ah..." Now something of his was hardening, and Vaurin struggled to remember what he was supposed to be doing. "Teats. I mean tea. Right. I'll...go and relay your request."

Seladon cleared her throat as he started for the door. "Vaurin."

"Hmm?"

"While I can tolerate other women giving you an admiring glance," Seladon told him, "I don't think you should show them all exactly what they're missing out on."

He blinked and turned to look at her.

"Clothes," explained Seladon, raising a brow, "or at least put on your robe first; especially in your current condition. You'll induce nosebleeds going out like that."

He shot a look down at himself, grimaced and remembered the robe he'd been initially going for. "You distracted me," he accused, avoiding looking at her again for fear of another stupidity attack. "How is any man supposed to concentrate with a vision like that in his face?"

He covered himself and tied the robe shut, but the front of it was jutting out obscenely due to his lower parts reacting to the sight of his wife. Vaurin sighed, gesturing at the offending part. "Fantastic. At least _one_ part of me is wide awake now, and I doubt it's going to escape notice to anyone I cross paths with."

Seladon started to giggle, and Vaurin gave her a pretend glare. "You think that's funny, do you? At least when you're excited it isn't obvious to the whole of Thra."

Seladon sobered a bit, though she was still smiling as she got out of bed. She stretched her wings as she padded across the floor to stand before him, and seeing all of her beautiful flesh only made the paladin's situation worse. Vaurin groaned.

"Now, don't be upset," Seladon advised, putting her arms around his waist. "I'll go and speak to the kitchen helpers myself while you calm down. I wouldn't want to embarrass my sweet husband."

She kissed him, and when he returned her embrace and tried to deepen the kiss, she pulled back and broke free. "Now, now. We have no time for love play."

He sighed as Seladon took her robe off of the hook next to where his had been hanging, and then her stunning body was covered up by shiny blue material. "Cruel."

Seladon pulled her hair out the back of her robe, letting it fall down her back in tangled, silver-violet locks. "I'll make it up to you once we're on the road. You just concentrate on settling down and getting prepared. Perhaps a cold bath would help."

"And how do you suggest I get to the bathing room without someone seeing the state I'm in?"

"Hmm. Valid point." She thought about it for a moment. "I know; I'll speak to someone about running baths for us, and if you're still...ahem...'wide awake' down there, you can carry your change of clothes low to conceal it on the way."

"I have to admit, that isn't a bad idea," he concurred. "Don't take too long, my lady. The sooner we're bathed, dressed and fed, the more daylight we'll have to travel by. I want to avoid as much travel in the dark as possible."

"Why?" she asked, puzzled. "I realize it poses some risk of failing to see holes or obstructions in the road, but so long as someone in the formation scouts ahead, we should be able to avoid such things."

"It isn't holes or obstructions that worry me," he told her seriously, finally regaining some of his wits. "It's the possibility of ambush that concerns me. That creature that killed my father had chitin armor that was as black as night. If there _are_ more of them out there somewhere, they would be hard to spot after dark and you saw what they're capable of."

Vaurin closed the distance between them, and he cupped her face in his hands. "I want you in as little risk of danger as I can possibly manage. If it were up to me, we wouldn't even travel straight through to Stone in the Wood. I would rather stop when the suns start to set and make camp for the night, truthfully."

"I...hadn't considered the monster we found in the woods," admitted Seladon in a low, troubled voice. "Since there have been no further signs of similar creatures and no news of other sightings, I've been thinking of it as a single, random occurrence. Like those bat creatures we saw that day. I've been assuming they were simply some form of mutated wildlife, warped by exposure to the Darkening."

Vaurin winced inwardly. He hadn't told his wife the suspicion he'd had about the pile of dust they found on the floor the morning after their joining ceremony. He still couldn't decide whether he even should, because he felt it would ultimately serve no purpose but to worry her. Seladon already had so many responsibilities to juggle. Without any proof of his suspicions, Vaurin couldn't bring himself to tell her the bats might not have been localized to the Dark Wood.

"What is it?" Seladon asked, obviously picking up on his darkening mood. "You're troubled about something. I can see it in your eyes and feel it through our connection. Tell me."

This time Vaurin did visibly wince. He couldn't lie to her even if he wanted to; especially now that they were bonded. She would see right through it. "I don't think the encounters we've had thus far were just a one-off thing," he admitted softly, "at least not with the bats. Do you remember the dust on the chamber floor the day after our ceremony?"

Seladon nodded. "Of course. Why, do you know where it came from?"

He sighed, and he glanced over at the spot on the floor where said substance had been found before getting swept up and disposed of. "On the night of our bonding, we both heard a sound. It was exactly the same sound those bats made at Stone in the Wood before they began falling out of the sky."

"Yes, but we saw nothing when we looked for the source," she reasoned, and then she narrowed her eyes on him. "Or is that not true? Did you actually see something, but didn't tell me?"

"No, I saw nothing," he assured her, "but then I found the pile on the floor the next morning. I said it was probably dust swept into a pile that someone forgot to collect, but I don't have any memory of seeing it the night before. I thought maybe I was just too focused on you to notice it, but then I remembered how those bats disintegrated after dying. I'm not sure it was dust, my love. I think it might have been the ash remains of one of those creatures."

Seladon blinked and took a step back. "Are you sure?"

"No, I'm not," he explained, "it's just a theory."

"Why didn't you tell me this?" demanded Seladon. "Information like that is important for the security of this clan, Vaurin!"

"I realize that," he told her, keeping his voice and demeanor as calm as he could so as not to get her more worked up. "It was an error in judgment, I know. I just didn't see what good it would do, because there was no physical evidence to confirm whether I was right. I had just become your husband and I didn't want to spoil our first day as a bonded couple with a supposition that might not even be accurate."

She sighed and turned away, clearly miffed. "Your instincts are some of the sharpest I've ever seen. Whether you thought you might be wrong or not, you still should have informed me."

Vaurin was sure he was turning a shade paler, and his little problem rapidly deflated in the face of his wife's disappointment in him. He placed his hands gently on her slender shoulders, and he dared to lean close and kiss her on the temple.

"I know. In my effort to spare you the stress, I made a mistake. I'm sorry."

She remained still as a statue for a moment, and then she turned around to look him in the eye. "Hmph. I knew we would eventually have our first quarrel, but not over matters of the safety of this clan. Shame on you."

"Yes," he agreed, "shame on me. I agree with you whole-heartedly."

"You aren't even going to try to defend yourself?"

"Why would I defend the indefensible?" he reasoned, spreading his hands. "I made a bad decision. A stupid mistake. Now you're mad at me and I hate that."

She started to speak, snapped her mouth shut, and then huffed. "How in Thra's name am I supposed to stay angry with you when you're so blasted contrite? No, stop staring at me with those big, soulful eyes. You aren't getting off the hook that easily!"

"I'm sorry," he apologized again, closing his eyes. "Better?"

He heard her huff again, only this time it sounded more like a laugh than a sound of annoyance. Vaurin cracked one eye open again to peek at her. She was smiling, though she was clearly trying not to.

"Stop being cute," demanded Seladon, her voice lacking the steel that had been in it before. "This is no game."

"I know it isn't," he assured her, opening both eyes to gaze at her regretfully. "I'm just trying to appease your wrath. I really _am_ sorry, my love."

She clicked her tongue again, and then she put her arms around his waist. Apparently forgiving him, she kissed him on the chin, then the lips. "From now on, you will tell me if you see, hear or even suspect something out of the ordinary that may pose a danger to our people. You can't protect me from everything, husband, and that includes bad news."

He embraced her back, relieved. "I promise. From now on, I won't try to keep anything from you, even if I'm afraid it may be a false alarm."

"Good. I'll hold you to your word."

He breathed in her scent, and he rocked her gently in his embrace. "Are you still mad at me?"

"No," she answered. "You frustrating man. If you had argued I would have been, but it isn't possible for me to stay angry when you're so adorably apologetic."

"I'm glad," he told her truthfully. "Well, the good news is my lower half got frightened out of its rigid state."

"Hmm. Hopefully not permanently," she said in a teasing tone. "I'm going to want a repeat performance later on."

Vaurin chuckled. "For you, my lady, I think that can be easily arranged."

* * *

-To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely readers! This chapter contains (mostly implied) sexual content, so careful if you're reading it at work!

Seladon hadn't been jesting when she told her husband that she wanted a repeat performance of his earlier state of body. Once they got on the road and had the tarp and curtains drawn for privacy, she demonstrated for him that she really had forgiven his lapse.

It didn't take much convincing on her part to still his protests and get him in the mood. She had to admit, the pleasure of joining with him was a lovely way to pass the time on the road. They tried to keep it quiet, but at some point Vaurin's excitement banished his modesty and Seladon was sure he'd rocked the carriage enough for their companions to guess what they were doing inside of it.

Surprisingly, she felt no shame. Vapra were generally more modest than other gelfling, considering it improper to be too amorous with their partners in public view. The All Maudra excused her own passion on the fact that she'd been recently bonded. Nobody should be surprised or offended that she and her husband sought out intimacy whenever they could. It was the way of things, and she knew deep down that part of the reason she hungered so much for Vaurin's touch was due to her reproductive urges.

Seladon stubbornly throttled those instincts, reminding herself that she had the final say in when she was ready to conceive.

"That," gasped Vaurin after recovering from their encounter, "was the best way to pass the time I've ever experienced."

Still straddling him with her cheek resting on his shoulder, Seladon nodded. "Mm, I agree."

"You really surprised me," he murmured against her hair. He stroked her wings slowly. "I thought you meant to wait until we arrive and settle in at Stone in the Wood, not while on the road."

"I'm surprised I had to convince you," she countered, smiling. "I think that was the first time I've ever seen you truly shy about intimacy."

"I was flustered," he agreed with a chuckle. "The last time you caught me so off guard was the first time I woke up to you fondling me."

She kissed his neck. "It seems you've gotten used to that." Since becoming husband and wife, Seladon was much bolder with him, and she no longer suffered hesitation whenever she wanted to explore his body.

"More accustomed to it, true. It's always a lovely way to wake up, though."

Vaurin pulled back to study her face. "Tell me something, though. What's so fascinating about that part of me? Don't misunderstand; I'm _very_ glad you're so fond of it, but I've never...uh...been with someone so attentive to it."

Seladon glanced down at said part, which was now sated and in a relaxed state. "It's hard to explain. I enjoy the way it feels in my hand, but it's more complicated than that."

"I'm listening." He was grinning at her, but there was sincere curiosity in his eyes.

"Well, I don't have one," she reasoned with a shrug, "so it _is_ a bit fascinating. Like the way you're always admiring my wings or certain other parts of me. It's also the way you react when I touch it or kiss it. The sounds you make. It...pleases me to give you such pleasure, I suppose."

He nodded. "I understand. That's exactly how I feel about you. I just couldn't see it from your perspective because your parts are so much lovelier than mine are."

"Don't be silly," she chided. She eased off of him and gently tucked him back into his breeches before he could even try. "They're different from yours, but no more attractive. I happen to think your boy parts are quite handsome."

Seladon flushed brightly when she heard her own words out loud, and she put a hand over her mouth. It was too late; she'd really just said that last bit aloud, and her husband began to choke with laughter.

"Can't say I've ever had them called 'handsome' before," he snickered.

"It isn't _that_ funny," she protested. "I just like every part of you. What's the matter with that?"

"Nothing, darling," he assured her, calming himself. He put an arm around her to draw her close. "I'm happy that you feel that way."

Seladon lay her head on his shoulder, trying to banish her embarrassment. At least Vaurin seemed as flattered by her observation as he was amused. The thought of the reason behind this journey popped back into her head, and Seladon recalled how unmoved Vaurin had seemed when he heard that Rian was going to be coroneted.

"Vaurin, your mother said that she saw something in her readings about the Stonewood situation."

"Mm-hmm." He nuzzled her hair. "Mother is good with reading and interpreting fortunes, even if she doesn't have clear visions like a soothsayer."

Seladon took her head off his shoulder to search his eyes. "You said you don't have the talent, but you seemed so unsurprised by the news when you heard it. Did you hear something before I did?"

"Not a thing," he answered. "I'd have told you right away if I had. Unlike my suspicions concerning the dust we found in our chambers, word of the Stonewood decision is a thing I wouldn't have been ambiguous about."

She trusted him in that. After all, poorly handled or not, Vaurin's hesitation in telling her his thoughts on the dust pile was born of his desire to protect her. This was a different matter entirely.

"Then why were you so calm about the news?"

He caressed her shoulder with his fingertips as he thought on it. "I've had a hunch since you first made your proposal to the Stonewood clan that they would eventually see the wisdom in it. I wouldn't exactly call it foresight. I just assumed the most logical conclusion they could come to in such limited time would be to give Rian a chance. He's shown his qualities, both as a fighter and as a role model. I think I'd have been more surprised if they decided to toss some inexperienced girl into the seat of the Maudra just for the sake of keeping tradition."

"I was under the opposite impression," Seladon confessed. "It seems I still have much to learn about the other clans. I thought they would be too stubborn to take the more sensible route, but they've surprised me."

"Each clan has assumptions made about them," excused Vaurin. "Vapra are elitists, Sifa do nothing for free, Stonewood are impulsive fighters, Dousan worship death, the list goes on. Every clan has some prejudiced ideas about each other."

That was true enough. Seladon knew that she herself was guilty of perpetuating some of those prejudices. "Perhaps one day, we'll all learn to see each other as we are."

He nodded. "Maybe." He then kissed her on the cheek and whispered into her ear. "But you've taken a half Sifa as your husband. I think you're closer to that goal than you realize."

His words made her smile a bit. Yes, she'd taken a mate with a mixed background and surprisingly, she'd hardly been phased when she discovered his origins. Of course it helped that Vaurin was such a beautiful male to her.

* * *

Seladon and Vaurin made it to Stone in the Wood without incident, and Brea was quick to hug her sister tightly the moment she stepped out of her carriage. She also embraced Vaurin in greeting, seeing as they were now family. After getting the couple's belongings put away in the cottage they would be staying at, the Stonewood served a community meal.

They chatted as they ate, and the council members explained to Seladon that the intended to do the coronation ceremony at first light, in the morning.

"We appreciate your coming so swiftly, All Maudra," informed Counselor Sirini. She probably would have been the first choice for Maudra of the clan, had they declined Seladon's idea and stuck with tradition. "We debated long and hard over it, and though I have experience within the council, I haven't a head for war."

Sirini gestured at Rian, who was eating quietly next to Gurjin. "Rian led us into battle, and to victory. As such, given the times we live in, we've agreed that his leadership is what we need the most to ensure our survival. I can only hope it's the right decision."

Rian glanced up from his bowl of stew, met Seladon's gaze and then nodded. "I hope so too."

Brea bit her lip and looked to her sister, hoping Seladon had some wisdom to offer the uncertain Stonewood clan in this troubled time. Unfortunately, the All Maudra seemed to be as much at a loss for words as Brea herself was. There was only so much encouragement one could give before it all became nothing more than repetition. This was a frightening time for the Stonewood.

"I think," Kylan offered, "that the winds of change aren't always a bad thing. I didn't know Maudra Fara very well, but I know Rian and I know his courage."

Seladon spoke up then, inspired by Kylan's observations. "Being a leader doesn't grant immunity from mistakes. I believe I can speak with some authority on that subject."

There were some nods, a few smiles and Brea saw a scowl here and there. It seemed not everyone had completely forgiven Seladon for her collaboration with the skeksis. Brea couldn't really blame those that still harbored resentment. Many Stonewood might still be alive today if Seladon had acted sooner. Even though Mother Aughra told them she had pleaded for the lives of the prisoners taken by the skeksis, it wasn't enough for some gelfling.

"On that note," Seladon continued, "Rian will surely falter now and then. We all do, but I hope that you will all practice patience and remember that he's gelfling, just like you. He'll need guidance to grow into this role he's accepting, but with your help, I believe he will meet or even exceed expectations."

"Here, here!" Gurjin raised his cup of mead in a toast, and others joined him gamely.

"Thank you, All Maudra," Rian said with a respectful nod. "I'll do my best."

Brea could see the uncertainty in her friend's eyes, but this was his battle to fight. Rian wouldn't know what he was really capable of as a leader until he began his duties as one. All that she or any of his friends could do was support him and offer advice if he needed it.

* * *

Vaurin listened with half an ear as the discussion at the picnic area turned to politics. It wasn't that he had no interest in such matters. As husband to the All Maudra, he needed to stay informed of such things and offer his thoughts on them if his wife asked him for advice or his opinions. He was distracted, though. Just outside the dining area were two little childlings; a girl and a boy that he estimated to be around five or six trine in age.

Vaurin watched them chase each other, giggling with happy innocence while their parents looked on from the open door of a nearby cottage. They must have been born very close together, he reasoned. Either that, or they were just play mates rather than siblings. The girl had curly brown hair with green tints in it, and the boy had lighter hair, streaked with red.

The paladin started to smile as he watched their antics. Their bare little feet kicked up fallen leaves as they ran in circles together. The girl squealed in a high-pitched voice when her companion caught up with her and tickled her.

"You're it, Mina!"

"No fair," she complained, but she gave chase anyway.

"Little ones," called the woman from the cottage door, "that's enough play for now. It's getting too cold out. Come inside and warm up."

"Awww!" both of them whined.

"No arguing," admonished the father.

Now with significantly little enthusiasm, the childlings dragged their feet as they complied. Vaurin watched them disappear into the cottage, and then he felt his wife's gaze on him. He looked at her, sitting beside him, and he molded his face into a neutral expression. Seladon appeared thoughtful as she looked at the door of the cottage, then back at him. Vaurin could sense a disquiet in her, and he knew he'd caused it by watching those little ones with such open envy on his face.

"Have you tried this?" He said, gesturing at the roll stuffed with greens on his wooden plate. "It's really tasty."

Seladon dropped her gaze and shook her head. "I'm afraid I've been too caught up in discussion to get the opportunity yet."

Determined to avoid any awkward feelings or make her feel pressured, he picked his roll up and tore it in half. "Here, my love. Open up. You'll like it, I promise."

Seladon parted her lips and allowed him to feed her the morsel by hand. She chewed, swallowed and nodded. "It is very good."

Vaurin sought out the basket containing more of the stuffed rolls, and he reached for one to put on her plate. "Please get enough to eat. I can't have you going hungry on me."

She offered him a smile, and then she started to eat with a greater appetite. Vaurin noticed Brea watching him, and when he met her eyes he could see some sympathy in them. Thra, had he been _that_ obvious? He glanced around, but fortunately everyone else seemed to be too involved with their own meals and discussion to notice his earlier fixation. Matter of fact, the solitary podling of the village was providing a bit of a distraction.

"Hup?" Naia reached out to give Hup a little shake when he remained face-down in his own plate of food. One hand was clutching a drinking mug like a lifeline, and he was snoring.

"I think he's done himself in for the night," mused Rian.

Naia gave the podling a nudge, and Hup fell straight onto his side before rolling off of the bench he was seated on, completely oblivious. His face was covered in mashed potato and bread crumbs. He didn't wake at all when he hit the ground, he just kept snoring away.

"I'll take him home," sighed Brea. "Rek'yr, would you mind sitting him up so that I can wipe off his face?"

"Of course, Princess." The Dousan got up from his seat and squatted down to lift the drunken podling up for her.

Vaurin watched as the couple got their podling friend cleaned up, and even the sight of Rek'yr lifting Hup and carrying him like a childling caused a pang in his heart. Rian spoke as the princess and her suitor left the gathering to put their companion to bed.

"He's been doing that too often for my liking."

Vaurin gave the soon-to-be clan leader a questioning look.

"Drinking too much," clarified Rian with a nod in the direction of the retreating trio. "Though podlings are known for loving their brews, I think Hup is taking it to extremes even for one of his folk."

"He misses Deet," Kylan reminded softly. "Poor Hup never got the chance to say a proper goodbye to her. None of us did, really."

"If we only knew where she was," Naia stated. "If she's still alive, that is."

"She's alive," insisted Rian passionately. "I know it."

"What about search parties?" Vaurin suggested. "Are you still sending them out to look for her?"

"Every chance we get," answered Rian. "Her fathers sent word to us that they've seen no sign of her either. A part of me hoped she'd somehow made her way back home to her caves, but wherever she is..."

"She doesn't want to be found," Kylan finished for him. "Rian was the last to see her. We searched the entire area around that location but found the undergrowth so thick and tangled we couldn't progress."

"Do you think she's somewhere within that undergrowth?" asked Seladon, taking interest in the conversation. "Perhaps like a cocoon?"

"That would be my best guess," answered Rian. "I think that Deet is somehow drawing the Darkening away from the blighted lands, keeping it from spreading further. She could speak to the Sanctuary tree and she told me it gifted her with its powers before it died. It said something to her about energy, and how it can't be destroyed; only transferred."

"Like what she did in the battle," Vaurin said with a frown. "Absorbing the Emperor's attack somehow and unleashing it back on the skeksis."

"Yes," agreed Rian. "She had to release it, or it would have killed her. I think it nearly did."

"But then how could she be drawing the Darkening away?" asked Seladon. "If she can only hold so much of it, what could she be doing with the excess to keep it from destroying her?"

Rian combed his fingers through his fringe, mussing it. "I wish I knew. All I know is the retreat we've seen of the blight can't just be a coincidence. Mother Aughra agrees with me; it has to be related to Deet. I'd bet my life on it."

"Well, until we can figure out a way to get through that tangle of thorns," Gurjin said, "we won't be able to ask her."

"Why not take axes to it?" Vaurin questioned. If there was one thing the Stonewood clan had in abundance, it was axes and swords.

"We tried that," Kylan answered. "The tangle is infected with the Darkening, though. It's changed the property of the plant growth. Those thorns are as hard as rock."

"Petrified," added Naia with a nod. "That's what Mother Aughra called it."

"I've heard that term before," Seladon announced. "Brea read about it in one of her books and wouldn't stop talking about it. She said that over a great amount of time, some plants and trees harden into stone. I can't recall the word she used for the process, but I do remember her using the word 'petrified'. It's supposed to take an immense number of trine for this to happen, though. Not mere moments or even days."

"Well, however long it would take naturally, the Darkening obviously defied that requirement," sighed Rian. "No tools we can craft will break through that mess."

"We'll just have to keep trying," said Gurjin. "If Deet's trapped in there, we can't give up on her."

Rian gave his friend the barest hint of a smile. "Agreed. We'll keep exploring the area for any weak spots."

"Are there any gaps?" Vaurin inquired. "Perhaps someone could try crawling through."

"None big enough even for Hup to squeeze into," Kylan replied. "Some of the ladies even tried scouting from the air in case there might be spots that we couldn't see from the ground. It's a huge, solid mass so tightly woven that you could barely wedge a spear inside."

"The only way we're getting in there," stated Naia, "is if we find something harder than that growth to smash into it. Even Lore tried to break through, with no success."

"I'm sorry to hear that," offered Vaurin sincerely. Deet had been a kind gelfling, innocent and pure of spirit. He didn't get the chance to know her as well as Rian and the others, but he was happy to lend his services to recover her, if such a thing were possible. Unfortunately, it seemed there wasn't much he or anyone else could currently do.

* * *

The next morning, Rian stood before the crucible to accept the circlet engraved with Stonewood clan symbols that had been custom made for his coronation. Seladon herself presented it to him before the entire clan and the other gelfling that currently called Stone in the Wood their home. It wasn't a drawn out ceremony, thank goodness. Seeing as this was a completely new event, there was no traditional ceremony for it.

Seladon improvised as she asked Rian to bow his head so that she might place the circlet on his brow. She asked him much the same things that would have been asked of a Maudra. Would he vow to serve the Stonewood to the best of his ability, would he put his life on the line for the safety of his people, would he answer the call for aid if the other clans needed it, and so forth.

To his credit, Rian didn't hesitate to answer any of those questions. He repeated the vows after the All Maudra, and he didn't get tongue-tied or flustered. By mid-morning, the coronation was complete and the Stonewood again had a leader.

After that, it was time to celebrate. A noon feast was prepared, and while Hup was present for the ceremony himself, the little podling was suffering the after effects of drinking too much the night before and he returned to the cottage he was sharing with Brea to sleep the rest of it off. Lore went with him by request from Brea, who was worried the podling might take it into his head to cure his hangover by imbibing in more drink.

Seladon didn't have much of an appetite herself. She'd been admittedly uneasy about how the ceremony might go, and in addition to that, her thoughts kept going to the way she'd seen her husband watching those playing children the night before. She thought of what he'd told her when she'd expressed her concerns that there would never be a right time to have little ones. Finally, she thought of the image she'd been picturing her head, more and more often of late.

Vaurin proudly cradling a swaddled infant in his strong, capable arms. She could imagine his smile so easily, picture him carefully changing diapers, singing their daughter or son to sleep, telling bedtime stories. It was so easy to imagine him doing all of this that it almost felt like a vision of the future...but that future could only happen if Seladon gave into her reproductive urges and let his seed take purchase in her.

"You aren't going to get the food to vanish from your plate by staring at it," Brea chided her teasingly after several moments.

Seladon took her attention off the leaf wrap on her plate, meeting her sister's gaze. Vaurin was standing behind Brea at the cooking spit, chatting with another paladin as he helped transfer fire roasted vegetables from the spit to a basket. Seladon began to stare at her mate, admiring the way the rays of the suns brought out the metallic strands of red in his hair.

"You really do have a one-track mind lately," Brea told her twisting in her seat to trace the All Maudra's gaze. "It's a wonder your poor husband can still walk."

Seladon's gaze snapped to the younger female. "Excuse me?"

Brea shrugged, peeling the husk off the ear of corn on her plate. "It isn't a big secret. I overheard some of your paladins talking about the journey here."

"What exactly are you talking about?" demanded Seladon, though she already suspected where this was going and she felt her face getting warm.

Brea grinned, cupped a hand over her mouth and whispered the answer. "Your carriage wasn't rocking as much as it did because of bumps in the road. Honestly, you couldn't restrain yourself enough to wait until you made it here?"

"Who's been saying these things?" whispered Seladon back, now blushing furiously. She hadn't cared if her traveling companions knew what they were up to at the time, but she'd expected them to at least have the decency not to gossip about it.

Brea's mouth split into a mischievous grin, and she laughed. "Nobody. I was just testing you, and you failed! Did you really—"

"Oh, you little beast!" Seladon acted out of impulse and before she knew it, her drink splashed into her sister's face.

Brea sputtered in shock, tea dripping down her cheeks and from the tip of her nose. "You...you threw your drink in my face!"

Everyone around them went silent, and Seladon stared back at her sister's outraged visage, just as surprised by her actions as Brea was.

"Well, if you hadn't teased me that way—aarrgh!"

Seladon choked as she was given the same treatment by Brea in retaliation. Temporarily blinded, she wiped at her eyes and she tasted melon juice on her lips. Seladon gasped in a scandalized manner and stood up. Brea stood up as well.

"That," spat Seladon, "is going to cost you!"

Brea shrieked and started to flee as Seladon reached for her threateningly. Determined not to let her sibling get the best of her, the All Maudra ignored the bewildered chatter of their peers, lifted the hem of her gown and charged after Brea.

* * *

"Um...ladies?"

Vaurin stopped Rian when the newly crowned prince of the Stonewood made as if to follow and intervene. He shook his head as the other male looked at him questioningly.

"Let them get it out of their system, my lord."

"But your wife," sputtered Rian, "she really looked serious."

"I'll follow to be sure they don't get into serious trouble," assured the paladin. "You should enjoy the feast."

Rian reluctantly sat back down, concern written plainly on his face. "You'll holler if you need any help?"

"I will. Please excuse me."

Vaurin took his leave, and he noticed that Rek'yr didn't look particularly concerned. Mildly amused, but not worried. That surprised Vaurin a little bit, because unlike himself, the Dousan had no way to sense his partner's emotions. The only reason Vaurin was so calm about the situation was because he'd detected an uncommon playfulness beneath Seladon's outrage.

Hoping he hadn't misread her emotions, he quickened his pace and followed the sound of the two sisters yelling and taunting each other. He had no idea what Brea could have said to provoke such a childish outburst from his wife.

His footsteps slowed as he neared the top of a hill on the outskirts of the village, and the sound of feminine laughter reached his ears. Vaurin sighed with some relief when he looked down at the forest below to see a vision that could have come from the past.

Seladon wasn't fighting Brea...at least, not with her fists. The two women were throwing clumps of dirt at each other, like a pair of childlings having a mud fight. He bent over and put his hands on his knees to catch his breath, keeping his distance but ready to intervene if the playful nature of their interactions turned to violence.

Vaurin had a seat in the grass and removed his helm, lowering his hood. He smiled as he watched his wife and her sister soil their clothes and hair with dirt. The both of them avoided picking up any rocks or sticks to throw at each other. They were simply...playing. Catching up on lost time, it seemed.

"You look," panted Brea, "Like a mud pie!"

"Hah! You should...see yourself!"

Seladon rushed her sister, grabbed her hands and started twirling with her. Brea laughed, stumbling a little as she joined in. Bits of dirt flew off of them as the girls spun and spun together, carefree and silly.

Eventually they both got so dizzy that they fell to the ground, giggling. Brea rolled over and lay her head on Seladon's stomach, who stroked the younger female's hair affectionately.

"By the way," Seladon informed, "Vaurin and I _did_ make that carriage rock on the way here. You're right; I cannot keep my hands off of him."

Up on the hill, Vaurin's brow lifted beneath his fringe, and he grinned. He came very close to calling out something teasing to his wife, but he bit back his impulses and kept silent, unwilling to spoil this bonding moment. He knew it had to have been several trine since these two ladies had such a happy moment of sisterhood together.

"It's good to hear you admit it so freely," Brea remarked. "I've never seen you so happy, Seladon."

"It almost feels inappropriate for me to be this happy," sighed the older sister.

Brea lifted her head off Seladon's stomach to look at her. "Why? You can't spend the rest of your life punishing yourself. We've talked about this before."

"I know, but my duties as All Maudra should come first."

Brea sat up and rubbed her temples. "But that's just it. You can't be at your best if you live in misery. This union has done you more good than you realize. You aren't as tense all the time, you see things from a bigger perspective and most importantly, you aren't alone anymore. You have a partner who can comfort you and listen to you. Someone who loves, respects and supports you. If you ask me, bonding with him was the best decision you've ever made."

Seladon appeared to consider her sister's words, and even from his distance, Vaurin could feel the All Maudra's love for him. It made his heart skip a beat, and he considered trying to sneak away while Seladon was still distracted enough by Brea not to notice him. He felt like an eavesdropper.

"I think you're right," Seladon answered at last, and she smiled at Brea. "He does make everything so much easier for me. Of course after the way I behaved back there, he might have a lower opinion of me now."

"I'm sure that isn't true," assured Brea. "If anything, he's probably worried you're falling ill and check you for fever. I'm surprised he didn't...oh. Never mind. There he is right up there."

Seladon followed Brea's pointing gesture to spot Vaurin still sitting at the top of the hill. It was hard to tell for sure since her face was so dirty, but he thought she might be blushing. Vaurin gave them a wave of greeting.

"I was going to say," chuckled Brea, "that I was surprised he didn't follow you. It seems I was wrong about that."

"Ah..." Seladon got to her feet a little unsteadily, and she helped Brea up. She brushed her hands over her dress, and then combed her fingers through her hair in a feeble attempt to tidy it up.

"I'll leave you two alone," offered Brea with a wink at her sister. She walked up the hill as Vaurin got up and started to descend it. As they passed one another, Brea whispered to him.

"I goaded her, so try not to judge her too harshly."

"I wasn't going to," he assured her, also whispering. "I think you both needed that."

Brea nodded, leaving the couple alone while she headed back to the village. Vaurin stopped before his wife when he made it to the bottom of the hill, and he looked her up and down.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this dirty before," he remarked, smiling.

Seladon looked down at herself, grimacing. "Not since our escape from the skeksis, at least. Vaurin, I can explain."

He shook his head and put his hands on her waist, drawing her close. "There's no need to. Aside from causing some confusion and worry to witnesses, no real harm was done. I was probably the only gelfling there that didn't think you were about to kill your sister."

Seladon chuckled weakly and rested her head on his shoulder. "I couldn't say what got into me. Brea made me think there was gossip being spread about my...ahem...appetite for you. She was only being sneaky and trying to trick me into giving something away, and I just...reacted."

"So I saw." he smiled, ignoring the dirt she was smudging against his clothes. "For a moment I must admit, I was a bit worried myself."

"Honestly, for one split moment, I really was furious with her," admitted Seladon. "That went away as soon as I splashed her in the face and saw her expression. I think I would have burst into laughter if she hadn't splashed me back, and then...well, you saw and heard most of it."

"Yes, I did."

She pulled back to give him a mildly uncertain look. "I imagine I didn't paint a very flattering image of myself."

"Hmm." Vaurin cupped her dirty chin in his palm. "Do you really want to know what I think?"

"Of course. I can't tell what emotion I'm sensing from you right now."

"Probably because there's a blend of them." He brushed his thumb over the bridge of her nose, wiping away some drying mud that had formed where the dirt mixed with drink she'd been splashed with. "I think that you should do things like that more often."

Seladon frowned. "Things like what? Throw drinks in my sister's face?"

"No." he chuckled, and then he sobered as he stared into her eyes. "Play. You should play more often. Laugh so freely more often. You're concerned I found your behavior unattractive, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I found it enchanting."

She stared back at him. "You aren't just saying that to spare my pride?"

"No." He put an arm around her and began guiding her steps back towards the village. "The last time I saw you like that with your sister, both of us had barely come of age and she was still just a childling. It warmed my heart to see you two like that again."

Seladon put an arm around him in return, and she leaned against him. "I love you, my sweet paladin."

"And I you. Now let's get you to the cottage we're staying in so we can clean you up. Mud pie."

Seladon favored him with another of those sweet, uncommonly carefree laughs, which was plenty of reward for Vaurin.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Mud Pie". That is admittedly not a nickname I would have ever imagined someone like Seladon earning for herself. I don't even know what came over the muses in that scene. Sometimes they just take over and I end up writing something I never planned to.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos and reviews so far! There's more focus on Seladon and Vaurin in this chapter for reasons that will be obvious as it's read, but the next chapter will feature more of other characters. 
> 
> Warning: This chapter contains NSFW content in the form of a detailed love scene.

She had decided. It surprised Seladon how easily the decision came to her. She'd seen the longing behind Vaurin's quiet little smile when he watched those children play, and then he'd quickly wiped his face of expression when he met her eyes again. Seladon had felt the pull strongly then, but the deciding moment for her had come after that. When she and Brea threw drinks in each others faces and ended up turning what could have been a serious fight into a game of chase and a mud fight, when Vaurin saw her at her worst and told her he'd found her childish behavior enchanting.

That was when she knew it was time to answer the song of creation, time to make her first heir with her husband and in turn, give him the family she knew he wanted.

There was also the matter of succession. Should something happen to Seladon, her sister Brea would inherit the Living Crown...unless Seladon had a daughter to pass her title down to. Brea didn't want to be All Maudra. She'd made that abundantly clear. Sometimes Seladon was sure she didn't even want to be a princess. Brea would make an excellent councilor and surrogate for Seladon's first born daughter, however.

She watched her mate from the shadows as he sparred with Kylan. The Spriton male had asked Vaurin specifically to give him some pointers after seeing him practicing his duel wielding technique. Usually Rian would be the one Kylan went to for lessons, but with his new responsibilities as leader of the Stonewood, Rian had precious little time for one-on-one combat training with anyone.

Seladon had a sneaking suspicion that her husband was quite aware of her presence. She had never been able to sneak up on him, or at least, watch him in secret for very long before he knew she was there. Now that they were bonded, his awareness of her was even more heightened, and the same held true in reverse.

Nonetheless, Seladon stayed out of immediate sight and enjoyed the sight of her prince. He spun, parried and dodged with a dancer's grace, guiding Kylan to try and follow his movements. Kylan, being a rather gentle mannered gelfling for one of the Spriton clan, didn't take naturally to close combat. He had improved since the resistance began, but he had a ways to go.

"Ah!" Kylan dropped one of his blades when they clanged together, and he shook his hand. "It bit me."

Vaurin sheathed his own blades, and he approached the other male with easy grace to collect the weapons for him. He picked them up and offered them to Kylan hilt-first, and rather than comment on his companion's blunder, he merely gave a quick nod.

"Try again."

"Well...all right." Kylan assumed a fighting stance again, and Vaurin inspected it before drawing his blades again. He tapped the other male's outer left thigh with the flat of one of his swords. "Too wide. Tighten it up and turn more. You present a narrower target that way, and the one advantage we have over our enemies is our smaller size and agility."

Kylan nodded and turned his body as instructed. The pair faced off again, and Kylan mirrored the paladin's movements as best he could. He wasn't bad, Seladon thought, but Vaurin moved so fluidly. It would be hard for most gelfling to match him in grace, and she didn't just think that way because she was so in love with him. Vaurin wasn't the strongest or the tallest, but he was hard to beat when it came to speed and agility.

"Better," complimented Vaurin. "Now come at me offensively."

Kylan licked his lips with determination and nervousness, and he did as advised. Vaurin knocked one of the other male's blades aside and swerved his body out of the way of the other one.

"You're starting to get the feel for it," approved Vaurin.

"I wish I could agree," panted Kylan.

"You aren't aiming for the same target with both swords," Vaurin pointed out. "That's good. The purpose of using two blades is to strike in two places, or to block with both. Have some faith in yourself."

Kylan nodded, lowering his weapons. "Thank you. I think...I'm done for now."

"You'll find it easier," promised Vaurin. He sheathed his own blades, breathing a little heavily himself. "Do it enough and you'll gain muscle memory. You'll find yourself needing to think about your moves less and reacting out of instinct more, in time. Think of your archery. You didn't shoot your arrows so straight when you first took up the bow, did you?"

"No. I was terrible at first."

"And so was I when I first picked up the blade," Vaurin informed him calmly. "Not every skill is inherent. I wish I could play the pipes as you do, but I'm completely tone deaf with them."

Seladon's ears perked up. Come to think of it, she'd never seen her husband pick up a musical instrument. That was odd, because most males had an innate talent for playing music, working with numbers and writing. Vaurin had a lovely singing voice, but he didn't play the pipes. He had plenty of other skills to make up for that, though.

"I could teach you," offered Kylan in his modest, almost shy way. "I would be happy to, since you've taken time to teach me some new fighting moves and techniques."

Vaurin hesitated, lowering his head in a subtly hopeless gesture. "You would be wasting your time, I'm afraid. The last time I picked up a flute and attempted a note, it came out sounding like the bleating of a nebrie with a bad case of indigestion."

Kylan smiled at him. "You may not have a natural ear for it, but if I can manage to learn some of your steps without chopping my own head off, surely you can learn to play some simple tunes."

Vaurin shrugged, appearing unconvinced. "I would like to play lullabies for my children someday, but I'm afraid my songs would only give them nightmares."

"You should give it a chance," persisted Kylan. "I'll tell you what; I can carve a flute just for you. A simple one fit for a beginner. I know you and the All Maudra can't stay for long, but before you go I could at least teach you some basic notes for you to practice with."

Vaurin looked up from the ground at the other male, hesitating. "You would do that for me?"

"Of course!" Kylan smiled again, this time with more social confidence. "I really didn't know anything about you before, because you're so quiet all the time. Now I think I'm starting to get to know you, and I would be glad to help you achieve that desire you've shared with me. Perhaps by the time you welcome your first born into the world, you'll have more than one lullaby perfected."

Vaurin snorted softly. "I certainly have time to practice, then. All right; I accept your offer. Just try not to judge too harshly when I send all the creatures in these woods scurrying away to their holes."

"Hah! You have a sense of humor. I never would have guessed."

Vaurin shrugged again. "I've never made friends that easily. I suppose it just takes time for me to feel comfortable enough to come out of my shell."

That, Seladon believed. Vaurin was so talented at being inconspicuous in public that he often got overlooked by others. _She_ had overlooked him herself for several trine before she began to see how deep his character truly ran.

"Well, I should go and help prepare the community supper," announced Kylan. "I hope you and your wife will be joining us."

"I'm sure we will," Vaurin promised.

* * *

Vaurin waited for Kylan to walk out of sight to the path leading back into the village, and then he looked around at his surroundings. He couldn't see any sign of her, but he'd smelled his wife close by. Seladon was too well bred to interrupt him when he was training. She also seemed to enjoy witnessing it.

"Where are you, darling? I know you're close."

She stepped out from behind the trees, wearing a warm cloak lined with carefully woven feathers around the collar of it. She smiled subtly at him as if sharing a private jest. "Impeccable awareness, as always."

"I don't think it's possible anymore for me _not_ to be aware of you," he replied softly, looking her up and down. "Not even if you were on the other side of the village. Fortunately, this means I can find you more easily if you're ever in danger."

"I _can_ defend myself, you know," she reminded him, patting the dirk she kept on her belt.

"Of course." He nodded solemnly. "I wasn't implying that you're weak, my lady. Far from it. My father could defend himself as well, but that served as little help to him."

Seladon sighed. "I know. Times are troubled, and no single gelfling should be out on their own."

"Exactly," agreed Vaurin, relieved that she was seeing it from a reasonable standpoint. "Least of all the All Maudra. Least of all my wife."

She smiled at him, and she stepped closer to embrace him around the waste and rub her nose against his affectionately. "I'm still a prideful woman. I like to think I can take care of myself, but I'm no warrior like Maudra Fara was. It is...good to be reminded now and then of that."

"Even if you were, I would still be protective of you," he vowed, kissing her softly and returning her embrace. "You are my treasure, Seladon."

"Mm. How can a gelfling so fluid and poetic with his words of devotion claim he has no artistic talent?"

"Heard all of that, did you?" Vaurin flushed a bit, though he wasn't surprised. He'd known she was there long before the conversation between him and Kylan turned to musical instruments. "It's been a private shame of mine since I came of age. Other males could court the ladies they fancied with music, but I've had to improvise."

"Trust me," she whispered, "your improvisations won me over sooner than a tune on a flute could have. Playing the pipes is such a common courtship method that it bores me. It was your way with words, your honesty and your devotion that caught my attention first. Then you kissed me and..." Seladon's words dissolved into soft, secretive smile.

"What?" Vaurin found himself smiling, his pride salved by her compliments. "Go on. Don't stop now."

His lady was blushing girlishly now, which he found utterly charming. "Well, I would take one of your kisses over any number of fancy tunes, Vaurin. I was confused about my feelings for you until you kissed me for the first time."

"Oh really?" he brushed his lips back and forth over hers, teasingly. "So had I not lost my head and kissed you that day in the woods, we might not be where we are now."

"I would say that's a fair probability," she admitted. "You kiss like no other gelfling I've ever met, though. So erotic that it's almost obscene."

He lost his composure, and he laughed. "I think you're being a bit dramatic, love."

"But I'm not," she insisted, surveying his face with admiration in her golden eyes. "I'm chagrined to admit that you stirred something in me nobody else ever has before. I found myself thinking that if a kiss is indicative of other sensual skills, you would make a most satisfying lover. You not only met, but exceeded my expectations."

He lowered his gaze humbly. "Well, I had to make up for what I lacked in common talent."

"You did," she assured him. "More than sufficiently, I might add. I almost feel sorry for other women. I doubt there are many husbands that could compete with your sensual talents, sir."

Vaurin was sure his face was as red as a tart berry now. For all his boldness in matters of intimacy, he still had a shy side to him. Being praised so much for his efforts to please her was very rewarding, and it only made him want to please her more.

"Would you like to find a private spot so that I might demonstrate those talents again?" he suggested, aroused by the thought of tasting her.

"Now, don't be hasty," chided Seladon with a smirk, stopping one of his hands from wandering before it could cup her backside. "We are expected at supper, if you recall. We'll likely miss it completely if we go off to satisfy...other...appetites."

He checked a sigh, and he loosened his hold on her. If he kept holding her, he feared his baser instincts would make a fool of him. "Of course, my lady. Propriety first."

She gave him an oddly tender look, and she reached out to stroke his cheek with a gloved hand. "You should still take Kylan up on his offer."

He turned his head to kiss her hand. "I thought you said it didn't matter whether I could play or not."

"Not to me," she assured. "It isn't for my benefit that I encourage you. I heard what you said about your desire to one day play lullabies to our children. If nothing else, you should try for the sake of that."

The subject made him ache a little inside, but he kept it carefully hidden from her. "It's going to be a long while before I need to worry about that. There's no rush."

There was a secretive glint in her beautiful eyes. "You may be fulfilling that wish sooner than you think, my paladin."

Vaurin blinked at her, and then he glanced down impulsively at her abdomen. They had agreed that Seladon would let him know when she was ready and receptive to begin trying, but once in a great while, some females conceived without consciously preparing their bodies for it. "You...you aren't..."

"No," she said with a soft chuckle and a shake of her head. "We would both know it, if I were."

Seladon stepped closer, and she whispered into his ear. "Come and meet me in the hidden glade tonight. When the first sister is at her highest peak in the sky. You know, the one that you showed me when we were still living here?"

How could he forget? That had been a most enchanting coupling for both of them. Vaurin nodded, suddenly dry in the mouth. Could this mean what he suspected? It seemed so sudden to him. He had been anticipating several trine's wait before his lady asked him to get her with child.

"Seladon, what is this?" Vaurin asked. It didn't feel like a simple tryst under the moonlight that she was suggesting.

"Just come," she insisted mysteriously.

* * *

They joined everyone for a community dinner in the center of the village. Hup was staggering before most participants got halfway through their meal, and Brea instructed Lore to take the podling home to sleep it off...again. Gelfling socialized while eating, talking about the weather, the harvests and preparations for winter.

The northern reaches of the Dark Wood typically got a little bit of snow in from the mountains, but not much. The south where the Spriton clan lived hardly ever got low enough temperatures for snow or sleet. The same went for the Swamp of Sog and the Crystal Sea.

"I'm looking forward to seeing some snow," Gurjin was saying. "It's bean a few trine."

"Well, we're sure to get a bit of it this season," predicted Rian. "It's already colder than average for this part of the trine."

Vaurin kept quiet, finding it difficult to follow the conversation. He was distracted by his lady, seated across from him at the outdoor table. His mind was swimming with possibilities. She hadn't outright said she was ready to start a family yet, but Vaurin didn't think he'd only imagined that she'd hinted at it.

The All Maudra chatted, ate and drank with graceful etiquette. Nothing in her mannerisms reflected their earlier talk, and that was what had Vaurin in a state of uncertainty and confusion. Seladon was casual, as if it were any other day. Their conversation in the woods might as well not have taken place.

"So," Naia said, "when can we expect to see you rounding out with child, All Maudra?"

Everyone in the picnic area went silent and stared at the young Drenchen female. Kylan was the first to find his tongue. "Naia, you can't ask her that!"

Naia wasn't phased by the admonishment, and she looked around at her peers as if they were the ones being inappropriate. "What? She's the All Maudra! You're all wondering the same thing; I just happened to have the stones to ask it aloud." She looked at Seladon again. "What say you, my lady? It's been three moon cycles going on a fourth since you officially bonded with your husband, and the two of you still act like you're on your honeymoon."

"Honeymoon?" Seladon repeated with a frown.

"What is that?" Vaurin asked, equally curious.

"A term I heard from Mother Aughra," explained Naia. "She used it when we told her of your joining ceremony. She said it's just a term she'd learned in her celestial travels to describe...well...the way you two are acting. You know, that post courtship period when a newly pair bonded couple can't keep their hands or eyes off one another."

"I would say that's a fairly accurate description," Rian said with a chuckle.

Vaurin looked at Seladon, and she looked back at him in turn. "Thank you for your interest," Seladon said to Naia, "but in Vapra society at least, the decision to have children is deeply personal to each couple. I will announce it on the day I find myself with child, but when that day will be isn't up for public discussion."

Naia practiced a little more couth. "Of course, All Maudra. No offense intended."

Seladon gave a courteous nod and no more was said about it. Vaurin continued to eat in silence, now more uncertain than before and a little frustrated with Naia for blurting that question out so succinctly. He was doing his very best not to pressure his wife, but others seemed intent to do it in his stead.

Seladon needed to feel in control. If she felt it would give others the impression that she was giving into their pressure to reproduce, she might hold off on it indefinitely. He could feel his tenuous hopes from earlier slipping away by the moment. It was like trying to gain a wild fizzgig's trust to pet it, only to have some loudmouth idiot scare it off just as the contact was about to be made.

Vaurin found himself casting a shadowed glance of resentment at Naia, though he sincerely doubted she'd had ill intentions with her inquiry.

* * *

He came to her as promised later that night, and right on time. Seladon watched him enter the glade from her perch on a thick, sturdy tree branch. He was in uniform, naturally, and he had his thick winter cloak on to ward off the chill.

"Seladon?" called Vaurin in a hushed voice, looking this way and that. He sniffed the air as if trying to track her down by smell. "Where are you?"

"I'm here," she answered him, lightly stepping out into view.

The paladin tilted his head back to look up at her, his mouth parting. "Oh. Er, would you come down and join me?"

"In a moment, my love." Seladon undid the clasp of her cloak, and she let it fall to the forest floor beneath her. She began to walk the length of her branch, extending her wings for added balance and display. Her hips swayed enticingly, and she slowly peeled her long gloves off to drop them with her cloak.

"What are you doing?" Vaurin asked, sounding both intrigued and concerned. "Be careful you don't fall."

"I have wings," she reminded, subtly amused, "and I have you to catch me as well."

Vaurin visibly swallowed as she began to delicately pluck the laces of her bodice loose. She could see the dawning comprehension in his eyes, the amber gaze reflecting the light of the full moons.

"What is this?" he asked softly. "I'm not sure I understand."

Deciding it was best not to tease him, she decided to be honest. "I've decided, Vaurin. It's time. I'm ready."

She could see the delight growing in his eyes at the proclamation. She'd known he would understand exactly what she meant, but his expression was still carefully guarded. He then spoke again, and Seladon thought she knew why.

"Are you certain? Is this really what you want?"

"I made this choice before that Drenchen spewed her inappropriate line of questions," explained Seladon. "I make this choice of my own volition, husband. Not because others expect it of me, but because I...want to make new life with you."

That small moment of hesitation was only because she felt her emotions welling to the surface in response to the wary hope in his beloved eyes. "I mean it," she assured him. "I still have my doubts about myself when it comes to mothering, but I know that you will make a wonderful father. I know you'll help me when I stumble, and I have no doubt that you'll be as dedicated a parent as you are a paladin."

Vaurin was breathing just a little faster; she could see the rise and fall of his chest quicken beneath his cloak. "But...out here? You'll be cold."

She smiled. He hadn't even thought about his own comfort, of course. His only concern was for hers. Silly paladin. "You'll warm me up, I'm sure."

That was evidently all the convincing he needed. He parted his cloak to reach a hand up to her, and she could see the evidence of his desire already causing a bulge in his breeches. "Then come and join me, Seladon."

"Not yet," she denied.

Vaurin frowned, and then he gave her a dry look. "Darling, I appreciate the compliments you've given my attributes, but you're over-reaching if you think I can get you pregnant from down here."

She bit her lip on a giggle. Oh, how she loved this man's wit. "I understand that, and I don't expect you to manage such a feat. Be patient, my love. I'll be down there with you soon. But first..."

She had never performed a proper mating display. Of course, she'd never had a reason to before. It was strange; despite her inexperience with it, Seladon knew exactly what to do. Her instincts were taking over, and all that she could think about now was joining with her mate and conceiving with him. Her pulse was quickening as her body readied itself for what was bound to be a very long, drawn out encounter.

Seladon slowly shed her clothing, hardly feeling the cold that turned her breath to fog in the air. Her thoughts were only on the male watching her from the ground, and she stared into his eyes as she performed for him.

* * *

Vaurin stared up at the vision of beauty overhead, unable to move. Of course Seladon was beautiful. She'd _always_ been beautiful to him, but right now she looked almost mystical. Like a star that had come straight down from the heavens and taken female form.

Seladon's wings shimmered and sparkled in the lunar light, reflecting the moonbeams like delicate crystals. Her long, silver-violet hair almost seemed to glow in that moonlight. She removed her bodice, and then her delicate fingers began to work on the laces of her pale lavender gown.

It felt like he'd fallen into a dream. Almost like the very first time he'd laid eyes on her trine ago, but without the boyish confusion he'd felt back then. His desire for her now was very much a man's desire, not that of an inexperienced boy. He swelled further in his pants, finding it difficult to catch his breath or concentrate. He almost felt like he'd eaten a vision berry or three.

"Seladon," Vaurin murmured, feeling his eyelids droop a bit. He couldn't look away from her, and as she lifted the bottom of her gown to slide it up over one leg, baring it up to the thigh. She bent over to unlace her left boot, and her long-lashed eyes met his again.

"Shh, my love," she said, and the paladin could have sworn her lips weren't even moving. "I'll be with you soon."

Her scent was so powerful now. It was enveloping his senses, making his body feel hot. Vaurin swayed on his feet, and some part of his remaining conscious mind recalled something about females releasing pheromones when receptive for a mate. Something about...enhancing male potency and...he couldn't remember.

Barefoot now, Seladon slid her gown over her shoulders, and she let it fall down her body until it pooled at her feet, hanging over the branch. She was gloriously nude, her perfect silken skin pale in the bluish light of the moons. Seladon swept her hair back over her shoulders, letting it cascade down her back, brushing her hips from behind. Her front side was completely bared to him, from the gentle swell of her breasts to the sparse patch of silver hair over her loins.

"Lie down on your back, Vaurin."

He couldn't disobey her even if he'd wanted to. Vaurin sank to his knees on the forest floor, and then he lay back. Seladon stepped off the branch she had been perched on, and her wings hummed into motion. Rather than glide down to him, she hovered in the air and began to spin in graceful spirals. Her hair swished against her body, her back arched and she seemed to dance in mid air above him.

For how long it went on, he couldn't be certain. Time had lost all meaning, and it seemed like all of Vaurin's strength had drained out of him. Seladon finally descended from the starry heavens, and she stood over him with her feet planted on either side of his hips. Her pupils were wide and she was breathing as heavily as he was. Vaurin somehow managed to reach up, and he ran his hands over her outer calves up to her knees.

"Seladon," he whispered.

* * *

This was it. This was the moment. She felt it in her bones, in her heart and in her soul. Seladon sank down on top of her mate, and she eased his hood off to bare his head and ears to full view. He looked drugged, but she wasn't alarmed. It was her own pheromones putting him in this condition, and that was perfectly natural. He was hers, she was his and by the time the suns kissed the sky again, she might have new life growing inside of her.

"Don't fret, sweet love," she assured him, perching herself on top of him in a straddling position. She unbuckled his scabbard and removed it, placing it within reach just in case something unfriendly interrupted their mating. She then removed his other gear before unfastening his cloak. The shirt came next, and she positioned his arms up over his head so that she could pull it off.

The heat they were both putting off was enough to keep them warm, as expected. There was even a flush to Vaurin's cheeks, almost feverish. Again, she didn't worry. Seladon knew that everything was progressing the way nature intended. He stared at her in a daze while she worked his breeches open, and she had to pause to tug his boots off before pulling the pants down.

Seladon allowed herself one moment to run her hands over his body once she had him nude beneath her. She stroked his hard length, drawing a groan from him. She fought a groan herself as she mounted him and guided his warm, throbbing arousal into her. A gasp escaped her lips at the breach, and then she sank down all the way onto him.

"My Vaurin," she breathed, rolling her hips. His hands settled on them, his lips parted and he began to move beneath her. It wasn't a mechanical reaction. Now that she had him inside of her, the daze he'd been under was starting to fade. His breath caught, and his hands started venturing over her body. His pelvis rocked and he began thrusting himself into her eagerly.

Seladon tossed her head back and moaned as his fingers located the sensitive nub crowing her loins and started stroking in gentle circles. When she opened her eyes to look down at him again, his lusty gaze had more clarity to it. Her display had served its purpose, giving her initial control over the start of the encounter so that she could be fully receptive for him.

Now that the hypnotic effect was beginning to wear off, he was free to move and react. Vaurin didn't waste any time, either. While he was no longer stupefied by her dance and scent, his libido was still at her mercy. Seladon gasped when he bucked beneath her, rolled over with her and switched their positions.

"Oh...Vaurin!"

Now _she_ was the one at _his_ mercy. Pinned beneath him, she clutched at his back and moaned into his ear. His thrusts were deep, hard and angled in a way that sent pulses of sensation through her spine. Seladon welcomed the ache that came with it, spreading herself wider for him and desperate for more. Usually Vaurin let her set the pace, following her lead and allowing her to ride him as much as she wanted. Clearly tonight, that wasn't going to be the case.

* * *

"Are you sure they aren't just sleeping in late?"

Brea walked alongside Naia and Gurjin, and she shook her head. "No, Vaurin would have heard me knocking and come to the door, even if my sister slept through it. I never saw any lights come on when I passed by their cottage last night. If nothing else, they would have lit a fire for warmth."

"Maybe they were just too tired to bother," Gurjin suggested. "You've got to admit, they traveled without stop to get here in time and then they got up early yesterday for the ceremony."

"Not to mention your insane antics during the celebration feast," Naia reminded her. "I saw them coming back after you. Wouldn't surprise me if they just got cleaned up, called it an early night and slept through the morning."

"I still want to look around," Brea insisted. "Kylan said that he saw Vaurin pass by the eastern side of the village after the suns went down. Someone else told me they saw my sister go the same direction earlier. What if the got ambushed by something while they were out for a stroll together?"

"I suppose it's possible," Naia allowed. "With all of this business of strange creatures appearing here and there and the plots those skeksis are likely scheming, we probably can't be too careful."

They passed by a thin trail, and Gurjin suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. "Hold up. I smell something."

The two women also stopped, and he started moving up the trail with a hand on the hilt of his sword. He motioned for them to follow, and he crept through some bushes.

"Well, what do you smell?" Naia asked after he paused again to sniff. "I don't smell any...oh, wait. Yes I do. It smells like...er..."

"What?" Brea asked, becoming frustrated. Clearly even Drenchen females had sharper senses of smell than the average Vapra, because all she could detect was the smell of grass and leaves.

"Smells like sex," Gurjin finished for his sister.

Brea gave them both a doubtful, perplexed look. "Are you two having fun with me?"

"Just wait here," Gurjin suggested. "I'll go deeper in and have a peek. If I yell for you to run, you do it."

He was serious, Brea realized. She wanted to know how they'd both come to the conclusion that whatever scent they were picking up on was sex, though. "How can you smell sex? It's an act, not a tangible thing like flowers or sweat or perfume."

"Trust me," Naia told her, "sex does give off a certain smell and someone must have had a very busy night."

Brea still didn't quite believe her friend, but she waited quietly while Gurjin investigated further. He was only gone for a moment before he came rustling back through the bushes, looking flustered and awkward.

"Right. I found our missing All Maudra and her husband. Believe me, they're both fine."

Brea started forward, and Gurjin stopped her with a shake of his head. "You don't want to go through there right now, Brea."

"Why? What did you see? If they're fine then why not let me pass?"

He sucked his teeth, glanced at his sister and sighed. "You remember what we both said we smelled?"

Brea nodded, and then she heard a moan from somewhere deeper in the forest where Gurjin had just come from. It sounded like her sister's voice. Realization came to her, and she blinked. "Oh. Oh, they were...ah..."

"In the act," confirmed Gurjin, "and if I were to venture a guess, they've been at it for some time. Fortunately they were covered up with a cloak so I didn't see much more than some telling movements."

"Why would they do it out in the cold when they have a nice warm cottage all to themselves?" Brea wondered aloud.

"Feeling adventurous, maybe?" Naia shrugged. "More room to play around? Feel free to go and ask them yourself if you want. I doubt they'll appreciate the interruption."

Brea winced. The last thing she wanted to see was her sister coupling with someone. That ranked up there with seeing one's parents in the act. "I suppose they should be safe enough, now that it's daylight. Let's go."

* * *

"Did you...hear something?"

Panting heavily in the aftermath of their final coupling, Vaurin dropped his forehead against Seladon's shoulder.

"Just...an animal, probably. Thra, I've got nothing left to give." He relaxed against her, still trying to catch his breath. He'd expected their encounter to last for some time, but not all the way through sunrise. His body was shaking with fatigue, and Seladon was just as exhausted. He would be of little use if some hostile creature did happen upon them right now.

"We should get back as soon as we recover," suggested Vaurin.

"Yes," she agreed. She turned over to face him when he carefully withdrew from her, and she cuddled up to him with a sigh. "It was perfect, my love."

He stroked her back and nodded with agreement. "We are going to be terribly sore for the next day or so, I imagine. I already ache."

"Yes, well...we weren't exactly gentle with one another, and we slept on the cold ground when we rested at all."

"I say we spend the rest of the day in a warm bed," he proposed. "In fact, we shouldn't get out of bed again until it's time to return home."

"We still need to eat," reminded Seladon with a smirk. "And bathe."

"All right, but other than that, no leaving the bed."

Impulsively, he eased her onto her back and he ducked beneath the cloak covering them up. He kissed her stomach before coming back up again to kiss her lips. "And you need your rest, especially if we succeeded."

Seladon looked suddenly crestfallen, and Vaurin paused to tilt his head inquisitively. "What is it, love?"

She met his gaze. "What if it wasn't enough?"

He seriously doubted that would be the case, as many times as he'd filled her. He could sense that she was sincerely worried though, and beneath that was a fear of disappointing him. The paladin shook his head and kissed her again.

"We should know within days, Seladon. If we have to try again, we will. Don't worry. It will happen."

She nodded, reaching up to brush his fringe out of his eyes. "Your confidence eases my concern."

"I want you to avoid stress as much as possible," he suggested. "I hear that's important, both for conception and for expecting mothers."

"You do know I can't put my duties aside, don't you?" she asked him. "Some stress is going to be unavoidable."

"Of course, but that doesn't mean you should seek out stressful situations. Let me do whatever I can to make things easier on you. I'll try not to smother you, but I may spoil you a bit."

"I suppose I'll just have to live with that."

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Kylan begins teaching Vaurin to play the flute. Rian seeks advice from Brea when the responsibilities of leadership get him frazzled. A shadow closes in on Stone in the Wood, Seladon gains a new respect for the value of a good spoon and Rek'yr cosplays as a scarecrow.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last pre-written chapter, so updates will slow after this one. Thank you for reading!

Kylan finished crafting a reed flute for Vaurin a day later, and when he went to the cottage the paladin was staying at with the All Maudra, he hesitated with his hand poised to knock on the door. Naia had given him an abridged version of what she, her brother and Brea had discovered the day before. Kylan didn't want to disturb the couple if they were still resting. However, they would need to return to Ha'rar soon and Kylan didn't want to miss his chance to present his gift to Vaurin and give him a few lessons.

The young Spriton pushed aside his misgivings and knocked. He waited for several moments, thought about knocking a second time and then decided to try coming back later in the day. Just as he was turning around to leave, he heard the door open. He turned around again to find Vaurin standing at the half-open door in a dark gray, thick robe.

"Oh, um...is this a bad time?"

Vaurin shook his head. "Good morning. We were just sleeping in." He stepped outside and closed the door behind him. "Don't want to wake the wife. She's still asleep."

"I'm sorry," whispered Kylan, though there was enough activity going on in the village by now that his visit wasn't likely to be what roused Seladon. "Is the All Maudra all right?"

Vaurin gave a nod. "Yes, she's in good health. She's merely...tired."

Kylan could tell that the paladin was still tired as well. Vaurin's eyes had smudges of fatigue under them. Knowing what he did about why the couple had been so reclusive the day before, it wasn't difficult for Kylan to figure out what was going on.

"Well, I can see that you both need your rest," he said tactfully, deciding not to stick his nose in their business. "I wanted to bring you this."

He searched his pouches for the single reed flute he'd carved for Vaurin, and he held it out for him. "It's nothing fancy. Light weight, six holes and easy to get a tune out of."

Vaurin took it from him, tilting his bed-mussed head a little. "Right, the flute. I'd forgotten about your offer. Forgive me, it's been a strange couple of days."

"No worries," Kylan assured him. "I can come back later in the day if you want. I know it's a bit early."

Vaurin stopped examining the pale wood flute and looked at Kylan again. "Actually, if you'll wait here while I dress, I'll come with you. I'd like to get started on lessons right away."

Mildly surprised considering Vaurin's lack of confidence when he first made the offer, Kylan nodded. "All right; take your time! We can get as much practice in as we can before you need to return home."

"Good. Only...no sword practice today, if that's all right by you. I'm ah...on the stiff and achy side."

Kylan kept a straight face, and he nodded. "I understand. Perhaps when you've rested up more we can have another go at it. If not, that's all right."

* * *

Vaurin's woodwind skills had, if anything, gotten worse since the last time he'd picked up an instrument. He and Kylan found a quiet spot near the pond Vaurin used to patrol, and the raven-haired male pulled out a fancier flute of darker wood to demonstrate. It wasn't the twin flute Kylan usually played, but a single like the one he'd given Vaurin.

The only sound Vaurin got out of his when he first tried blowing in it was a gurgling hiss. He sighed and lowered the instrument, then tapped it against his leg to clear the spittle out of it.

"Don't get discouraged," advised Kylan. "Here; I chose this one to demonstrate because I thought it would be easier for you to follow. Purse your lips and hold the flute to them like this."

Vaurin watched what his companion was doing, and he mimicked his actions.

"Now," Kylan mumbled around his instrument's mouthpiece, "you want to compress your lips and blow _softly_ at first. You're trying to control the airflow through that compression, rather than force of breath."

Kylan blew out a single clear note, and the he nodded encouragingly at Vaurin. The paladin tried again, and he gave a little start when he produced a quick toot of sound.

"There, you see?" Kylan smiled at him. "The first half of the battle is controlling the airflow. Don't try to produce any specific notes for now; just keep practicing with producing sound until you get a feel for it."

Determined to at least gain the ability to play simple lullabies, Vaurin poured all of his effort into it. Several times he couldn't get it to make noise, but he stopped for a moment, counted silently to himself and tried again once he tempered his frustration. Kylan encouraged him and offered advice as the paladin practiced for nearly an hour. Finally, Vaurin was able to play and hold a long, single note.

"Good! Now cover up all of the keyholes except for these two," Kylan demonstrated with his own flute, leaving the top and bottom holes uncovered with his fingertips hovering over them.

"All right." Vaurin did as he instructed, and he waited for Kylan to blow the note before trying it himself. He could hear the tone but his wasn't making clear sound like the other gelfling's.

"Don't worry," Kylan told him. "That one is rather hard for beginners. You have to put more air pressure behind it because it's a higher note. Tighten your lips a bit and blow just a little harder into the mouthpiece."

Vaurin followed the advice, and this time he was able to hit the note. It hung in the air until he grinned with success and incidentally broke the seal of his lips on the mouthpiece.

"That was good," complimented Kylan. "You're better at this than you give yourself credit for, friend."

Vaurin lowered his gaze. Maybe Kylan was right, and he wasn't such a hopeless cause. He'd had little time to try and get decent with playing the flute growing up. Most of his spare time when not doing chores or taking lessons was spent honing his skills with the blade. "I have good reason to put more effort into it."

Kylan watched him thoughtfully. He looked like he wanted to say something.

"If there's something you want to ask me," Vaurin said, "you don't need to be delicate about it. The worst I'm likely to do is decline an answer."

Kylan nodded, and he examined his own flute. "I was just thinking of what you said to me about playing for your children some day. After Naia was so tactless about it, I didn't want to ask, but...could there be an heir in our All Maudra's near future?"

Vaurin smiled, and he shrugged. "Thra willing. Don't spread it around, but we're trying. That's why I want to get as much tutoring from you as I can before we return home."

Kylan smiled generously. "That's welcome news! I don't like to overstep myself, but you see there's already been talk and...well, I won't participate in gossip. I'm afraid I can't say the same for other gelfling."

The paladin checked a sigh. "Of course. I just hope the wife will be understanding of that."

"I know this is of little comfort," said Kylan, "but the talk about when you two are going to start a family is part of being high profile. You're a prince now; husband of our All Maudra. Seladon has gained a lot of public approval since we drove the skeksis off. She works hard to improve the lives of gelfling and protect the realms, and we all see that."

Vaurin took Kylan's words into consideration. The story singer was known for his patience, his rationality and being fair minded. Vaurin liked him. "Seladon has worked very hard, true. It's good to hear that her efforts are so widely acknowledged."

"Not just hers," Kylan pointed out. "Yours as well. I may not perpetuate gossip, but I hear what people say. You've impressed gelfling as a strong and wise role model."

"They say that?" Vaurin was so used to being in the background that it was hard for him to picture anyone seeing him as a leader.

"That and more," confirmed Kylan with a smile. "So just try to remember that when gelfling speculate about when you two will start a family, they mean no harm. They're eager because they care."

"I'm afraid I'm not used to this sort of attention," admitted Vaurin.

"That may be part of what makes you so likeable to our people," reasoned Kylan. "You're not high born, you were never in a political position and you seem quite grounded. Gelfling can relate to you. The same goes for Rian. I don't think they would have elected him as leader of the Stonewood clan if he weren't a gelfling of the people."

Vaurin nodded. "I think you're right. Well then, I'll try to be understanding and I'll encourage my lady to do the same. If all goes well, we should be able to put an end to the speculation soon and that might take some of the pressure off of her."

"Right. Are you ready to try switching notes?"

"I am."

* * *

Brea was walking with Rian while he had a bit of time to himself. She could see that he was frazzled after holding audience to hear his clan's woes, suggestions and requests.

"You aren't going to be able to solve every problem presented to you," Brea advised him. "Sometimes gelfling come to court with the most unreasonable requests."

Rian bent over to pick up an acorn in their path, and he chucked it off into the distance. "Like the cobbler. Can you believe he actually wanted the smithy to relocate shop?"

"And that's what I mean," Brea said, smiling. "You couldn't have granted that request. The smithy requires a specific kind of building and equipment. You have no resources to build an entirely new one just because the cobbler has a personal issue with the blacksmith. I think you did well to encourage them to work out their own issues and perhaps decide on a schedule. It might not completely solve the noise issue for the cobbler, but it's a good temporary solution."

"I guess I just didn't expect so many petty complaints," sighed Rian. "Arguments over fruit trees between homes, disputes over use of the water wells, fishing spots...bah!"

"You'll get used to it," promised Brea. "Eventually you'll feel confident enough to deny an audience to people with petty disputes they could solve for themselves. You must remember that your time is more important than that, and focus on more pressing matters."

"But how do I turn people away without giving the impression that I don't care about their problems?"

"My mother called it time management," explained Brea. "She used to hold small court for petty matters on different days. More important issues such as crop harvests, military and political matters always came first."

"So I basically just wasted my time trying to help with those little problems?"

Brea shrugged. "I wouldn't say that. You're new at this and all of these issues have been building up with no authority figure to address them. It's good for you to show your clan that you care and listen to as many voices as possible, starting out. Once you've settled in, you'll need to be more selective about which problems you address. Otherwise they might run all over you."

"Maudra Fara never put up with childish squabbles," sighed Rian.

"She was a different gelfling than you," reminded Brea. "Just as I'm a different gelfling than my sister. I just thank Thra that Seladon is the All Maudra and not me. I think you'll adjust to your leadership role better than I would in your shoes."

They approached Brea's cottage, and she opened the door to peek inside. Hup wasn't home, and Lore wasn't in his usual spot outside the cottage. Brea sighed. "I hope he's not drinking himself silly again."

"Hup?" guessed Rian.

"Yes. He seemed to be doing better today and Lore has been diligent watching over him, but I can't help but worry."

"He wanted to go to the Tangle again this morning," revealed Rian. "I can't fault him for his determination, but the last time he cut himself up trying to find a spot to squeeze through. I'd almost rather he be drinking than doing that again."

"Hopefully he's doing neither and just off somewhere practicing with his spoon." Brea held the door open for her friend. "Why don't you come inside and join me for a while? It's been a tiring day for you."

"Rek'yr wouldn't mind?"

Brea smiled. "He has no reason to feel threatened by other males. He's usually meditating around this time of day, anyways."

"Oh. All right, then."

Rian stepped up the stone path to join her, but then his ears swiveled and he frowned. Brea immediately tensed, knowing that sort of body language. She heard what he was hearing a moment later, and she looked up at the sky with alarm.

They were back. The strange bat creatures that had made their sudden, swarming appearance that day.

"R-Rian?"

"Get inside! pull the window shutters closed!"

Brea didn't argue with him. She jumped hastily away to make room for him as he charged for her front door. Rian slammed the door behind himself while Brea hastened to the windows to close the interior shutters. She yelped when she heard a heavy thud on the other side, followed by a screech.

"Away from the windows," urged Rian, reaching for her.

Brea took his hand and huddled in the corner of the common room with him, listening to the commotion outside as the sky was again darkened by beating, leathery wings.

* * *

Seladon heard the otherworldly shrieks and the flap of hundreds of wings. Her eyes snapped open as soon as the cries of alarm went up in the village. Someone rang the warning bell, and running footsteps could be heard along the path outside the dwelling. Vaurin was absent from her bed, and she vaguely recalled him whispering into her ear that he was going to train for a while.

Heart pounding with sudden dread, Seladon got out of bed and crossed the floor to the nearest window. It wasn't the same cottage she'd stayed in the last time she was there, so the layout was different. She tugged her robe around her and looked through the window set into the wall of the den, and her eyes widened.

They were everywhere. She couldn't even see the home across the way from her for all the winged bodies darting around. This glass pane of this particular window was closed, but she remembered that she'd left the kitchen window cracked open to let some fresh air in that morning.

Seladon rushed over to that portal, which didn't have a glass pane over it like the other one. She reached for the shutters and began to close them, but before she could finish securing the left one, a bat flew in through it.

Seladon shrieked even louder than the bats outside, frantically slapping at herself when she felt hooked claws latch onto her robe. She reached for the overhead rack for something she could use as a weapon, not even paying attention to what she was grabbing.

* * *

Vaurin and Kylan heard the screams from the village first. The colony of bats had come from the opposite direction of where they were at. Vaurin immediately put his flute down and got to his feet. His ears perked and he tensed. Kylan also got to his feet, and he put his instrument away and reached for the bow he'd set against a nearby tree trunk.

The pair looked at one another and, without a word, took off running together for the village. Vaurin didn't draw his blades right away for fear of tripping on a root and slashing or stabbing himself by accident. Kylan clutched his bow in one hand, huffing at the paladin's side.

"Look!" Kylan pointed up at the canopy as they made it onto the path leading back to Stone in the Wood.

Vaurin did look, and he cursed at the sight of the mass of bats swarming toward them. They were everywhere, in much greater numbers than the first time. The creatures were hanging from tree branches, scrambling clumsily over rooftops, flying in circular formations. There was a male Stonewood gelfling running hunched over for shelter, slapping at several bats clinging to his clothes.

"Aaahhh! Get off Hup!"

Vaurin turned to see Hup running towards him and Kylan from a path to the right. The podling was smacking at the bats with his spoon, and judging by the blackish-red liquid tarnishing the steel, he'd already killed at least one of the creatures. Lore was stumbling behind him, not bothered by the pesky creatures himself but apparently trying to shelter Hup from them.

Kylan drew an arrow from his quiver and nocked it in his bow. He started to take aim, then shook his head and glanced at Vaurin helplessly. "There's too many of them. It would just be a waste of arrows at this point!"

"Agreed," said Vaurin as calmly as he could. "We should split up. I've got to find Seladon, and you can look for Princess Brea."

Hup let off a string of podling that sounded suspiciously like profanities to Vaurin's ears. He grabbed the podling's arm to get his attention. "Hup, come with me. Lore, go with Kylan."

Lore made a rumbling sound, and the animated rock creature joined Kylan.

"Where bats come from?" Hup yelled, keeping pace with Vaurin as well as his little legs were capable of.

Vaurin, having no answer, just kept running. He slapped aside a bat when it swooped at his face, and he tore another one off his shoulder when it landed there. His footsteps took him swiftly through the village. He heard other gelfling calling out from the shelter of their houses, asking where their new prince was.

Fantastic. Rian appeared to be missing. Vaurin's immediate concern was for his wife, though. He saw the familiar wood and stone dwelling up ahead, and he looked back to make sure his companion was still with him. Hup was following along gamely, and the little fellow was leaving a trail of maimed and unmoving bats behind him. People could say what they would, but Hup certainly had mastered how to wield a spoon as a weapon.

"Right here," Vaurin called out to Hup, leading the way up to the front door of his cottage. He tried to push it open, but it seemed to be jammed...or barred from the other side. Vaurin called out to his wife, and he beat on the door. The noise from the bats and the panicked screams was a lot for him to contend with and he couldn't be sure Seladon could even hear him if she was inside.

Desperation lent the paladin additional strength. All he could think about was Seladon trapped inside, possibly injured. Vaurin backed up and ran at the door, throwing himself bodily against it where he knew the locking bar hinged at on the inside. It shuddered, but held. He did it again, and two additional times before the door gave and he went crashing through it.

Stunned by the fall, Vaurin shook his head to clear it and looked up. Seladon was in the kitchen, whacking something on the counter over and over again with an iron ladle. Hup came in behind Vaurin and pushed the now partly unhinged door closed with grunts and groans of effort.

"Seladon," called Vaurin, scrambling painfully to his feet. His right shoulder hurt from slamming into the door and falling, but his concern right now was only for his mate. She didn't seem to hear him, so intent on bludgeoning what looked to be little more than a pile of goo, broken bones and crushed crystal.

"Seladon, stop," Vaurin commanded, grabbing her wrist. "It's dead."

She was wild-eyed with panic, and it took a moment for recognition to light her eyes. She dropped the bloodied ladle to the floor and hugged him tightly, shivering.

"It's all right," Vaurin soothed, rocking her. "Deep breaths, love. You're safe."

She pressed her face into his shoulder, sucking air into her lungs. Hup walked over to them, saw what she'd used to vanquish the bat, and then held up his own gore-covered spoon with a sage nod. "Spoon good, ya?"

Relieved that his wife seemed to be all right, if a bit traumatized, Vaurin smiled at the podling. "Yes. Spoons make surprisingly decent weapons."

He pulled back to have a better look at Seladon's blood-splattered face, assuring himself that it was all the creature's blood and none of hers. There was still a lot of ruckus happening outside, and he could hear the thumps of the ungainly monstrosities striking the roof and walls of the dwelling.

"You're scratched," Seladon said, reaching out to touch his left cheek.

"It's nothing. One of them came at my face while we were on our way here to you."

She sighed, pulling herself together. "It happened so quickly. I heard the warning bell just after the sky went dark with those...things. I had no time to properly arm myself; one of them got in just as I was securing the kitchen window. I used the first thing I could find with some weight to it."

Vaurin glanced at the remains of the bat on the counter again. It was drying up and crumbling now, turning to dust like the last ones had. "You did well. Are you hurt at all?"

"No," she assured him. She looked at Hup, and she grimaced. "But our podling friend needs to be seen to. He has multiple scratches, and I want to clean the one on your face, also."

"That can wait until these things die off," suggested the paladin. "I want to make sure this place is secured against any more of them getting in."

* * *

"Brea!" Kylan came running through the door of her cottage with wide eyes, and when he saw her crouched with Rian in the corner, he put a hand to his chest. "Oh, thank Thra. You're both here and safe."

"Close the door!" They both yelled.

"Oh!" Kylan muttered an apology to Lore before securing the door shut in his face. He hopped in place when one of the bats slipped through before the door shut completely, and he stomped on it.

Brea dared to leave her spot in the corner to approach Kylan. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," he answered, winded from his mad dash. "I was with Prince Vaurin by the pond when it all started. We split up. Hopefully, he made it safely to the All Maudra with Hup."

"Have you seen Rek'yr?" Brea asked, looking toward the front door anxiously.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't see Gurjin or Naia either, but there were so many bats I could have run straight past them without even knowing it."

"We'll go and look for them," Rian stated, and he went to the door, cracked it open and immediately slammed it shut again. "Or not."

"Is it still that bad out there?" Brea crept to one of the windows, and Kylan joined her with a dagger ready just in case. The princess slipped the bar up to open the right hand window shutter, just enough to peer out at the situation.

"They aren't stopping," Brea noted, voice quivering slightly. "So _many_ of them!"

"The last time," Rian said, joining the pair at the window, "they only flew around for a little while before dropping dead."

"That doesn't seem to be the case now," observed Kylan. "The only ones dropping now are the ones that got injured or killed by someone."

Brea could hear Lore outside the front, slamming the ground and rumbling. "I think Lore will take care of some of them, but we dare not go out there without some sort of protective covering. Who knows what kind of disease these creatures might carry?"

"This can't last for long," Rian insisted. "It's daylight, and we've seen this happen before. Maybe these ones are a bit hardier than the first colony, but they should start to die off soon."

"And if they don't?" Brea asked.

Rian sighed, dropping his gaze. "Then I guess we'd better start planning ways to scatter them and drive them off."

The three of them looked at each other, all of them unsure of what to do about this situation. Most of the foes they'd faced in the past had been much larger, required certain tactics. What this seemed to be here was more of a plague of pests.

"Ah, any ideas?" Kylan said at last.

* * *

Rek'yr had woken from his meditative trance to a very ugly surprise. He came out of it to the sounds of far off hollering and odd, shrill noises that reminded him vaguely of a blade scraping across glass. He blinked his eyes open, and that was when he became aware of the creatures clinging to his body.

Not one to panic easily, Rek'yr looked down at his crossed legs, his arms and the forest around him. He recognized the things from the last time they'd made an appearance. He wasn't concerned about being bitten, because they clearly had no teeth. It was more than a bit unsettling though, and he got up to pull the bats hastily off of him. Toothless though they were, they had clawed hooks on their wings that left scratches behind.

Seeing that they were blanketing the trees as well as the housing in Stone in the Wood, he saw little choice but to improvise. Attempting to get back down to the village and seek shelter would be more dangerous than making due with his surroundings. Though he was still adapting to life in the verdant forests of the Dark Wood, he'd learned enough in his time there to come up with some ideas.

* * *

"Why aren't they dying?" Seladon asked, peering out through the glass window in the cottage. She'd washed up and changed into a set of clothes, but she was in no hurry to step outside. "The suns are going to set soon, but they've shown no sign of weakening or departing."

"Maybe the ones we've encountered so far just happened to be mortally ill," Vaurin theorized. "They clearly aren't native to the Dark Wood, or to the mountains of Ha'rar."

Seladon nodded in agreement. There were still so many unanswered questions. The least disturbing possibility was that the bats came from the Caves of Grot and were relocating for some reason. The Darkening theory was also applicable, as was the less mentioned and more frightening possibility that the Skeksis had something to do with them.

"Something must be done," decided Seladon. "We have no idea what sort of damage these things might do to crops, drinking water or the forest's ecosystem. How they eat without mouths is beyond me, but there are other possible ways they could destroy vegetation besides feeding on it."

"Maybe eat different way?" Hup suggested. "Like trees."

The idea had some merit. Not every living thing used a mouth to feed with. Seladon wished her sister was there with her. Brea probably had a dozen or so of her own theories. By now, she might have already figured out what the bats were using as a source of energy.

"The crystals," Seladon muttered, her mind flashing back to the moment when she, her sister and Maudra Fara narrowly escaped being drained by the skeksis. "Energy..."

"What was that?" Vaurin prompted. "Have you thought of something?"

"I'm not sure," admitted Seladon. "But possibly. What Hup said just now gave me a thought. What if these bats don't eat as we do, as the podling suggested? Crystals can absorb energy, and these creatures have what appears to be a crystal set into their...well, I can only assume torsos. They might live off the light of the three suns like plants."

"But then why would they have died off so quickly the last time they swarmed this village? It was daylight out then, too."

"I don't know," sighed Seladon. "It may be as you said; the first ones were already dying of something."

"If bats need light," Hup said, "then should leave after dark."

"Possibly," Seladon replied. "Or they may roost here until daylight again. I would assume if they _do_ feed on sunlight, the stones or crystals in their bodies would store it to sustain them when the light is gone."

"Then they couldn't have come from the caves," Vaurin pointed out. "Unless it isn't sunlight they feed on, but some kind of luminescence found in there."

"Deet said many glowy lights in Grot," Hup informed. "Moss lights up too."

"All right, so what we have here is the possibility that these bats are both from the Caves of Grot and survive on some form of light," summarized Vaurin. "So supposing that's right, these creatures should start to die out in time, or else they'll vacate when they need more sustenance."

"Assuming we're right," Seladon agreed, "but if we aren't, we need to deal with them."

Vaurin walked over to the kitchen window and opened it a little to have a glimpse outside. "The suns have nearly set. I suppose all we can do for now is wait and see..."

He stopped talking and tensed all the sudden.

"Oh, what now?" Seladon asked, feeling her anxiety swelling again.

"Er, I'm really not sure, my lady. Something is coming this way down the path outside."

"How big?" Hup asked. "Skeksis?"

"No, it's roughly the size of a gelfling, but it's got odd joints and it seems to be on fire."

Seladon came up beside her husband to see for herself, dreading what fresh horror she might find. Sure enough, she could see the figure coming down the path as Vaurin said, from the direction of the mossy glen near the southern edge of the village. The figure was moving slowly, and what Seladon at first mistook to be freakishly elongated arms were actually branches.

"What in Thra's name?" She dared to push the shutters open further, and then she realized what she was seeing. It _was_ a gelfling, though she couldn't see well enough to identify who is was. They had a thin branch in each hand that they were using as torches. The bats were fleeing from the fire or the smoke billowing from the branches, or perhaps both. The smell of burning moss reached her nose and she almost sneezed.

"I think it's Rek'yr," Vaurin said after a moment. "Yes, I can see his face markings glowing. It _is_ him."

"Well, what is he doing?" demanded Seladon, at a loss.

"It...looks like he's herding the bats away. They're scattering."

And that was exactly what Rek'yr was doing.

* * *

Later on, nearly at midnight, they had cleared out all of the bats from Stone in the Wood. Some of them died and disintegrated like previous encounters, and the rest fled the location when other gelfling followed Rek'yr's lead and began passing around torches with burning moss. Every able-bodied gelfling available took up a torch to help, and when the last of the pests were driven away or dead, an open meeting was held in the center of the village by the crucible.

"Good work, everyone," Rian complimented. He looked to Rek'yr, who was covered in mud and moss. Only the glowing markings on his face and his eyes could be seen of his features. "If you don't mind sharing, how did you know to do that?"

"I wasn't certain it would work," admitted the Dousan. "There are certain kind of bats that roost near the Wellspring back home. Sometimes they encroach on our food supplies, so we must drive them away. At home I would have burned a special blend of desert herbs to repel them, but all I had on hand was some forest moss."

Rek'yr spread his hands and offered a faint smile. "It was a gamble, but it worked. Some bats aren't bothered by flame or smoke, so I couldn't be sure I wouldn't accidentally attract them rather than repel them."

"I think I can speak for all of us when I say we're glad you came up with the idea," Rian said with a smile of his own.

"And you've never encountered bats like these in your lands?" pressed Seladon.

"No, All Maudra. That brings me to another point that I think should be addressed, if I may speak it."

Seladon nodded. "Of course."

The Dousan male seemed to gather his thoughts for a moment before addressing Rian and Seladon respectively, focusing his attention on the two of them due to their station. "I was attempting to communicate with Thra when the incident began. It's the habit of my clan to meditate often, so that we may strengthen our connection to Thra and the dead."

Rian nodded, having heard some of this before. "Go on."

"The Darkening is still retreating," Rek'yr informed, "but the balance is far from restored. In my mind's eye as I was meditating, I saw monstrous creatures armored with chitin as black as night. Glowing eyes. Deadly claws like that of a sand scorpion, but huge by comparison."

Rian noticed that Seladon's husband tensed up beside her. He looked at Vaurin, who had suddenly gone pale. "Prince Vaurin?" Rian asked softly, feeling the hairs at the back of his neck stand up. "Does that description sound familiar to you?"

Vaurin glanced at Rian, and then he took a step forward to address Rek'yr. "This creature in your vision," he said to him, "what were its surroundings? Was it in a cave? Near mountains?"

Beside him, Seladon also looked troubled. She watched her husband with a subtly anticipatory look on her face.

"The creatures in my vision was in a swamp," answered Rek'yr. "There were more than one of them. I counted three before my trance faded."

"A swamp?" Gurjin asked in the background. "Like the Swamp of Sog?"

"It could have been," answered Rek'yr uncertainly. "It could have been any swamp. I'm not familiar with the territory."

"These creatures," Vaurin persisted, "did they have multiple legs?"

Rek'yr nodded.

"And their heads," Vaurin went on, "Small for the size of their bodies, right?"

"Yes, and limited neck movement, if they had necks at all. They made clicking noises."

"So you've seen the creatures he's talking about as well?" Rian asked of the paladin. "This sounds a lot like the description sent out to the clans by the All Maudra a few cycles ago."

"I never saw it in one piece with my own eyes," explained Vaurin, "but Seladon and I found the remains of one of them. It killed my father. I...I..."

"Allow me, husband," offered Seladon when the red haired male began to have difficulty going on.

She turned to Rian to explain, though her words were for the entire assembly. "As you know, we sent word out to all seven clans when we discovered this creature. At first it was thought to be Arathim, but certain parts of the remains didn't match up. My husband and I located an Arathim colony not far from where his father was found, and we investigated.

"The colony at first appeared to be deserted," Seladon went on, "but we found one solitary member still there. One of the smaller mind stealer variety that I'm sure you all remember."

There were mumbles, and Rian shivered to himself at the memory of the brief moment when he'd been taken over by one of those creatures.

"My husband Vaurin allowed the Arathim to meld with him so that we could communicate," explained Seladon. "It described the creature that had killed his father. It killed several of the Ascendancy as well, before they drove it from their tunnels. The colony relocated after that, according to the one we spoke to. It claimed there was a 'taint' left behind that made the nest unsuitable to live in."

"I could only give as detailed a description as possible in words and writing," Vaurin finished. "I saw it in my mind's eye when I merged with the Arathim. Unfortunately I'm unable to pass that memory on to others. It's...rather like dreamfasting, I suppose. Only the original memory can be passed on."

"Well, couldn't Muddy here share what he saw in his vision through dreamfasting?" Naia suggested.

"It doesn't work that way," Brea pointed out. "I've tried it myself. A vision isn't the same as a memory. I had to draw the symbol of unity that I saw in my vision, because I couldn't share it through dreamfasting."

"So what you're saying," said one of the Stonewood guards, "is that one of us has to see these monsters in the flesh before we have more than a verbal description of them."

"I'm afraid so," Rian answered. "Until then, it looks like Rek'yr and Vaurin are the only ones that know exactly what they look like."

"Mother Aughra might," suggested Captain Nethrid. "She's more connected to Thra than any of us. If the Dousan was able to get a warning vision, then it stands to reason Aughra has as well."

Rian lowered his eyes to the ground, his thoughts going to Deet. How much of these recent happenings might she have already seen? She had powers that none of them understood now. If only he could find her and ask her. If only he could just _see_ her again.

"I think that if Mother Aughra has any visions warning of danger to us," Rian said softly, "she'll come to us and let us know. We've entrusted the shard to her and as far as I know, she's searching for the Mystics right now."

He looked at Seladon, unsure of how to proceed from here. "All Maudra, given recent happenings here, you might be best off returning home early. Granted these bat swarms don't seem to be doing any real harm, but since we know nothing about them—"

"Wait," said Rek'yr, "I was going to speak of that as well. We got sidetracked before I could."

"You have some information on the bats after all?" Seladon asked.

"I would say it's more of a feeling," answered Rek'yr. "One thing I sensed from both the bats and those nightmare creatures in my vision is that neither of them are of Thra. Both reek of death and decay."

"So you don't think they're natural," concluded Rian.

Rek'yr shook his head. "No, I don't."

Rian looked at Seladon and Vaurin again. They'd revealed more or less the same suspicion when the matter was discussed during private council. Everyone had been hoping for some easier explanation, some chance that the creatures simply hadn't been seen on the surface world before, but had come from some deep, dark place underground.

"I think," Rian said after careful thought, "that we might want to send messengers to the Drenchen clan, just in case. They need to be especially on the lookout, since Rek'yr saw a swamp in his vision."

"We'll go," Naia and Gurjin immediately offered.

"I'll go with you," offered Kylan. "On the way, we can warn my clan too. There are some smaller swamps near our borders and it's better for them to be on alert as well."

"All right then," Rian said with a nod. "All Maudra, what are your thoughts on my suggestion?"

Seladon looked at her sister, then her husband and finally at Rian. "Yes, I think it would be prudent for us to return to Ha'rar. There are matters I must attend to there, now that business is concluded here. Captain, we leave in the morning. Please ensure that our company is ready to depart and supplies are in order by dawn."

Nethrid saluted her. "Yes, All Maudra."

"All right," concluded Rian, "we'll do further clean up in the morning. Everyone get some rest."

As gelfling began to go their separate ways, Rian stopped Rek'yr for a moment. "May I just ask," he said in a whisper, "why the mud?"

The Dousan looked down at the dirt caking his clothes. He almost—just barely—looked embarrassed. "The bats at home are drawn by scent as much as they can be repelled by it. The clay found in some of the springs masks our natural scent and gives us an advantage when driving them away from our food sources."

"Oh. Did it work with these bats?"

Rek'yr sighed. "I don't think so. It only made me dirty. It did provide some protection from the heat of the flames, however."

Despite the foreboding situation they faced, Rian had to fight off a laugh. "Well, you know where the bath house is."

"I do," agreed Rek'yr. He stopped before Brea, started to kiss her hand and then thought better of it when he saw how grimy his own hands were. "Princess, please excuse my appearance."

"Of course," Brea assured him. "Thra only knows how long those creatures might have held us hostage, if not for your quick thinking."

Rian had to fight not to roll his eyes over Brea's smitten response. Not that he had any designs on her himself, and not that he hadn't come to like Rek'yr but he was rather biased when it came to who courted her. It was her decision though, and to his credit Kylan was being very graceful about Brea's courtship with the Dousan. Brea probably didn't even know Kylan had feelings for her, and that was the Spriton's fault more than anyone else's.

Not that Rian could judge. He'd hesitated too much himself, both with Deet and with his beloved Mira. He might not have had a romantic relationship with the latter, if she hadn't decided to take the initiative and kiss him when he kept hesitating. It seemed he and Kylan both lacked confidence when it came to expressing their interest in the ladies.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Seladon and Vaurin leave for Ha'rar, while Naia, Gurjin and Kylan begin their journey through the Spriton Plains to the Swamp of Sog to warn their respective clans of increased possibilities of danger. Brea works with Rek'yr to illustrate the creatures he saw in his vision, so that other gelfling might have a better idea of what to watch out for. Hup stubbornly continues to search for a way through the petrified thorn tangle, and what was thought to be lost might yet be found again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, what we've all been waiting for!

Despite the horror of the sudden plague of bats and her utter lack of desire to experience such a thing again, Seladon was quietly reluctant to leave Stone in the Wood the next day. This would be the second time the bats had swarmed this place. Due to the proximity of the Stonewood settlement to the Castle of the Crystal, she couldn't help but dwell on the suspicion that the Skeksis were somehow involved.

But what could they be attempting to accomplish with these swarms of twisted bat creatures? That was the question now forefront on Seladon's mind. The bats didn't eat crops, had no teeth and only small hook claws for grasping. There had been no evidence of corruption to the land in their passing. Aside from forcing gelfling to take shelter when they swarmed and darkening the sky, the bats seemed harmless.

Seladon would have liked to stay longer to personally investigate more, but she'd picked up on her husband's urgency when Rian suggested they return to Ha'rar. Vaurin was all for it, and it wasn't difficult to figure out why. He was naturally protective of her, especially now that she could be expecting their first child. Of course he wouldn't want her remaining in a place that might get invaded by mystery creatures again that might carry some disease.

With this in mind, Seladon said goodbye to her sister again the next morning. They embraced tightly, promising one another to be careful, and then Seladon boarded her carriage with Vaurin. She waved goodbye to everyone as they rode away, and she closed the drapes once they were out on the road in formation.

Seladon felt a sharp twinge through her bond with her mate, and she looked at him. Vaurin grimaced in response to the jostling they received as the carriage wheels hit a bump in the road. His right shoulder had hit his side of the carriage wall, and she could tell it was paining him. They'd gone straight to bed after clearing out the bats the night before, and she hadn't had the chance to look him over very well.

"Vaurin, let me see your shoulder."

He was holding said shoulder with his left hand, but he tried to brush it off. "Just a bit sore, darling."

"Don't feed me that nonsense," she admonished. Seladon switched seats to the bench on the opposite side, and she leaned forward to begin working on getting his pauldrons off. "You broke that door half off its hinges yesterday. You may have done serious damage to yourself. I knew I should have had you looked at before we left!"

Another bump in the road caused Vaurin to nudge against the side of the carriage, and he groaned. It wasn't like him to be untruthful about pain, but for some reason he was fibbing to her now. She could feel that through the bond.

"All right, that's it," decided Seladon. She transferred seats again so that she was beside him on his left, and she patted her lap. "Lie down on your uninjured side, my love. Rest your head in my lap while I see to your shoulder."

"But—"

"No," she told him sternly. "If you're that concerned over worrying me, then it must be worse than you're letting on. I will not have you suffering in silence. Now do as I've asked so that I can help you."

Vaurin sighed, and he let her remove his helm and hood before easing onto his side as commanded. Seladon grabbed one of the throw pillows in the corner and propped it beneath his head to cushion it. She then loosened the laces of his shirt and tugged it down over his left shoulder.

"Oh, Vaurin," Seladon breathed when she saw the massive bruise. It covered his shoulder completely, running down his bicep almost to his elbow. Gently running her fingers over it revealed to her that it was swollen as well. She rested her palm over the knot carefully. It was warm to the touch.

"I can move it and rotate it," he assured her. "Nothing is broken."

"Even so, you need a compress applied and I want your arm in a sling while it's healing. What in Thra were you thinking?"

He turned his head to gaze up at her with serious amber eyes. "I was thinking that my wife might be in danger, and I had to get through that door no matter what."

She sighed, and she stroked his hair. She bent over to kiss his nose after that. "You ridiculous, sweet gelfling. If you break yourself trying to get to me, how are you to protect me?"

He parted his lips, his eyes flicked in thought and he grimaced, huffing through his nose.

Seladon took it as a win in logic, and she reached for the pull bell to signal the driver. He in turn blew his horn to let the company know that the All Maudra needed to stop.

"Why are we stopping?" Vaurin asked. "We should only stop to rest the animals or relieve ourselves, love. We need to keep good time if we don't want to be forced to set up camp overnight."

"It's only for a moment," assured Seladon.

She parted the drapes when she heard someone rap on the tarp outside, and she looked up at the captain of her group. "I require a medicinal box, Captain. My husband has been playing down his shoulder injury and I must see to it."

The captain peered through the window at Vaurin, saw his shoulder and hissed in sympathy. "Oh, that looks dreadful. Just a moment, All Maudra. I shall fetch Lareca for you."

Recalling the paladin that had such a skilled touch with tending ailments, Seladon nodded. "Thank you. Lareca may ride with us in here for a while to assist me."

"Seladon, I don't need—"

She pressed her fingers against Vaurin's lips to shush him. "Yes, you do. Be a good boy and lie still."

"I think you have me confused with Baffi," complained Vaurin.

"Not at all." She smirked at him. "Though you're nearly as stubborn as a fizzgig."

* * *

"Well, off we go! Come on, Kylan, we're already running behind!"

Kylan finished lacing up his boots, and he checked his personal belongings. Gurjin and Naia were already mounted on their land striders, but Kylan had more to bring and thus usually took a bit longer to finish up. He made sure he had his partly finished wood carving tucked away so that he could continue whittling it while on the road.

"All right, I think that's everything." He exchanged hugs with Rian, Hup and Brea—lingering a little longer and squeezing a bit tighter with the latter. "We'll try to finish our business and return swiftly. I reckon it will take us four moons with good weather and no complications."

"Please be careful," Brea advised sincerely. "I would rather you be safe than rush, all right?"

Kylan gave her a smile and a nod. "We'll keep that in mind."

He climbed up to mount his land strider, and he looked back at the friends they were leaving behind, his gaze lingering more on Brea. Kylan cupped a hand over his mouth to holler one more promise to them. "We'll be sure and report anything out of the ordinary, too!"

"If you see anything out of the ordinary," Rian shouted back, "then get out of sight and take shelter!"

"No need to tell me twice," snorted Naia. "Those bats weren't even fit for cooking. No meat on them at all, even before they turn to ash."

Kylan nudged his land strider closer to hers, and he stared at her incredulously. "Eat...bats? Gurjin, is she joking?"

"Nope." Gurjin freed his flask from his belt and took a pull on it before speaking again. "They can be quite tasty with the right seasoning. Bat wing soup is a favorite in the Great Smerth. Mum used to make it for us every moon cycle. You should try some while we're there. It's lovely."

Kylan did his best to conceal the shudder that went through him. Yes, some gelfling included meat in their diets. Particularly fish in the case of the Sifa. Kylan himself preferred vegetables, fruits and nuts.

He was too polite to decline his friend's offer and tell him that he would stick with his vegetable broth, but he hoped Gurjin would forget about the suggestion by the time they made it to the Swamp of Sog.

* * *

After her sister and friends left on their respective journeys, Brea invited Rek'yr to her cottage, and she laid down some cushions on the floor of the common room so they could sit comfortably together. She then placed a candle in the center of the floor near the cushions and lit it, so that she could use a char stick to start out with and wipe away mistakes before inking the final result. She got out her journal while he watched curiously, and she explained her thoughts to him.

"I've had an idea since last night, but I need your help."

"Whatever you wish, Brea."

She smiled, glad to hear him speak her name like that, even if he usually only did it in private. "Well, I'm fairly good at sketching, and since you can't share the vision you had through dreamfasting, I thought perhaps I could try to draw the creatures you saw. If I can get it accurate enough according to your description, we'll have a better idea of what everyone should be looking out for. We may even find someone, somewhere, that knows what they are and can tell us more about them."

His expression went somber and serious. "Princess, I think that the only ones that could tell us more about these creatures are the Skeksis. They aren't going to share information about a threat to us that they likely created."

"We don't know that," she insisted softly. "I mean, we don't know if the Skeksis are really behind it. That's all conjecture for now. Oh, and one other thing; there may be at least _one_ skeksis that would defy your statement."

When he frowned at her, she explained further. "SkekGra. The one my friends and I spoke to at the Circle of the Sun. The one that helped forge the Duel Glaive and wants to see an end to the Skeksis power."

"Brea, that creature hasn't been seen since our podling friend last laid eyes on him. The same goes for his supposed 'counterpart' mystic companion. They were both described as being quite...unhinged, and may never have been the allies you think they were."

"What about Lore? They made him, and he protected me and my friends. He still does. If SkekGra and UrGoh weren't being sincere, then why go through so much trouble to lead us there? Why go through such elaborate means to gain our trust? I hardly think it was a practical joke."

Brea paused and frowned. "Although I admit, SkekGra does have a rather strange sense of humor."

Rek'yr listened to her string of challenge questions patiently, and he smiled after a moment. When Brea looked at him expectantly, he answered her. "I didn't mean to imply that they were putting you on. You've dreamfasted with me and shared the memory of what happened that day when the allied clans and the Arathim drove the Skeksis off. I saw the Glaive, so I believe the pair of outcasts were at least sincere in their desire to give us gelfling a tool to use against our foes."

He took one of her hands in his and brought it to his lips for a kiss. "It's their unwillingness to get directly involved themselves that I doubt, Brea. I would caution you against putting your hopes on further intervention from those two. That SkekGra and UrGoh both wish to be whole again, I do not doubt. However, it seems to me that they lack courage enough of their convictions to face the struggle head on. Instead, they're counting on Gelfling to do the work for them."

Crestfallen by the observation, Brea dropped her gaze to her journal. Inside of it, just a few pages back from the blank one she was on, she'd drawn a sketch of the eccentric outcasts and Lore. It was true that they'd both vanished shortly before the Archer fell to his death, by Hup's accounts. They still hadn't heard anything from them. Brea excused it on the fact that they lived in the heart of the Crystal Sea on top of a plateau that wasn't by any means easy to come and go from. How would they get down to come and join them? Especially UrGoh with his bulk.

"I can't accept that," Brea said at last. "They set up their plan over three hundred trine ago. It would make no sense for them to abandon their hopes."

She huffed a sigh. "Though I admit, it would have been nice if they'd been more straight-forward and simply told us about the crystal shard hidden inside the Dual Glaive. Then again, they seemed to want Gelfling to figure it out for ourselves. That calls to question how badly they want change. If _I_ had the means to end Skeksis power, I wouldn't bother with riddles or wait hundreds of trine for someone to come along."

"Clearly you are not them," offered Rek'yr. He chuckled softly when she nodded and rolled her eyes. "Your head is always so filled with questions, Brea."

"Of course it is. How else can I learn?"

"That was another question."

She shot a suspicious look at him, and she saw his mouth twitch. "You're making fun of me."

Rek'yr chuckled under his breath. "Perhaps just a bit. It's all in fondness though, Brea."

Mollified by his explanation, she scooted closer to him. "Well then, let's get back on the original subject. You describe the creatures you saw in your vision to me, and I'll sketch one slowly. You can correct and advise me as we go along. I've done this before with descriptions of the mystics I found in books, and my drawings turned out fairly accurate."

"Very well," he agreed. He scooted even closer to her, until their knees were touching and she could feel his breath on her shoulder. "Where should we start?"

"Start at the top, with the head and shoulders," Brea decided after a moment's hesitation. His proximity was, she admitted, a bit distracting. "I generally do better that way."

He nodded, and he began to describe the creatures' appearance bit by bit. Brea lit the sharpened char stick, blew it out quickly and began to lightly sketch.

* * *

"Stupid thorns!" Hup wiggled back out of what he'd thought was a big enough opening for him to squeeze through, up near the top of the dome. He'd only made it two body spans in before the gap narrowed too tightly for him to go any further.

Frustrated beyond belief, the podling squirmed backwards, his clothes snagging on jagged ridges and barbs. He made it back out, secured his perch and wiped his brow with the back of his torn sleeve. Beneath him on the ground, Lore paced back and forth, watching him with concern.

"Hm-mmph," Hup informed his companion with a shake of his head. "No good. Udabe! Maybe find spot further up? Or..."

Hup gasped, his eyes widening on the ground at the base of the tangle. They had been trying to find a way through the petrified thorn vines for all this time. It seemed to be an impenetrable barrier, but how far down might the roots go? Lots of animals tunneled beneath or around hard rock to make their homes.

The thorns they could do nothing about for now, but the soil they grew out of was soft. Hup's eyes lit up with exuberance. He knew what to do.

* * *

She drifted in and out of the dream world, her mind, spirit and body multitasking in conjunction with each other to convert the dark energy. Deep within the gloom of a shell created of thorny vines, the small female sat cross-legged in her trance. So tightly interwoven that only trace amounts of daylight could penetrate, this dome was both a sanctuary and a prison for her.

Such was the price she had to pay for her role in protecting their world. Her weaving protected her from enemies, and it protected her loved ones from the influence of the dangerous floes of energies she was handling. Though she could not physically participate in the struggle to defend Thra and protect her people, she had a more direct hand in it than anybody could know.

Caught up in her own personal challenge, the gentle Grottan often thought of her friends, her family. Beloved to her but out of reach, her memories of her time with them gave her strength. She kept them in her heart; her clan mates, her family, the friends she'd made along the way. Two of those friends in particular were dearest to her; the little podling she'd befriended on her first day above ground, and the champion of the Stonewood clan.

Hup had shown more valor and determination than most gelfling she had ever known. He defied all typical podling stereotypes, and he had become her very best friend. Then there was Rian. Handsome, generous Rian with eyes that reminded her of the brightest glow moss and the greenest leaves. He had never shown any of the prejudice against her that she had experienced with other surface dwellers, and he was the first daylighter to discover the truth of what the Lords of the Crystal were doing.

She could only hope she would survive all of this and see them again.

"Deet?"

The young cave dweller frowned, her concentration slipping just a little bit. She'd thought too hard about her friends and now she was hearing voices.

"Deet! Wake!"

She spiraled out of her trance with a gasp, her vision shifting from the dream spectrum to the physical one, and a small, blurred figure slowly came into focus. The purple aura surrounding her vision faded, and she blinked. There was, impossibly, a podling standing before her. He had mussed brown hair beneath a leather cap. He wore rather fancy pieces of shoulder armor, and clothing of red and brown, with billowing sleeves. He was waving a hand frantically before her face, babbling half in Podling and half in Gelfling.

She recognized his expressive, squinty eyes, his voice, his face...but Deet was used to this podling carrying himself differently from his fellows. Usually he kept his appearance tidier than others of his kind, but right now he was covered in dirt.

"Uh...Hup?" she said uncertainly, her voice coming out a cracked whisper from long misuse. "How...how can you _be_ here? Am I awake?"

"Ya, you awake now! Hup here!"

"But...the thorn dome." Deet looked around at their dim surroundings, assuring herself that the barrier was still intact. She hadn't detected any weakness in the structure nor sensed any breach, and yet here her friend was, looking like he'd just come through a dust storm. "How did you get in here?"

"Hup couldn't get past sticky vines," explained the podling with a shake of his head. He brightened, and he held up a spoon for her display. It was different from all of the other ones he'd had before, metal with a carved wooden handle. It too was covered in soil, like him.

"So went _under_ them! Took long time. Dug all day."

Amazed, Deet stared at him. She could tell by the lack of daylight filtering in through the tiny gaps in her dome that night must have fallen. The violet glow lining the interior of the barrier blended with the moonlight, offering enough luminance for her to see, but probably barely enough for Hup.

"You tunneled?"

Hup nodded, enthusiastically. "Ya! With shiny spoon Lady Seladon gave Hup! See?"

He showed it to her again, obviously proud of it. Deet vaguely recalled witnessing a brief vision of Seladon bestowing a gift to Hup, but the details had eluded her. She'd had too much going on to focus on what was happening with her friends, much as she wished to watch over them.

"It's a lovely spoon," Deet approved. "You deserve it. I'm so proud of you, Hup!"

He lowered his spoon, and he started to sniffle. "But...not mean much without Deet."

"Oh, don't cry. Please don't cry." She started to cry too, even as she wiped the tears on his face that were turning the dirt to mud.

"Hup...miss Deet..."

She couldn't refrain from hugging her friend, and her voice suffered even more due to the lump in her throat. "I miss you too. You, Rian, Brea...all of you."

"Come back," he whined, hugging her back. "Hup can protect."

Deet closed her eyes. The longing she felt to do as he suggested was almost enough to make her falter. She sniffed and shook her head, pulling back and holding him by the shoulders to look at him. "I can't. Not now. If I leave this place, the Darkening will spread again. Please understand, I want nothing more than to be with you and our friends again, but for the sake of our world, I can't."

Hup wiped at his eyes with his grimy sleeves. "But why Deet? Not fair."

"I know it seems that way," she explained, trying to lighten her tone and sound brave, "but the Sanctuary tree chose me to carry on...to defeat the Darkening. I understand how to use its gift now, Hup. Energy can't be destroyed, only transferred. That was what the tree told me, but I didn't truly know what that meant until now."

"Where put it?" Hup asked between sniffles, trying to understand.

"It's hard to explain," admitted Deet. "For now I gather the dark energy here, drawing it from the land. When I've collected as much as I can bear, I purify it and release it back into Thra."

Hup's face screwed up.

"It means...um..." Deet thought on a way to describe the process to her friend that he might understand. She caught another glimpse of his spoon, and she perked up, inspired by the memory of the first time she'd seen him replace a spoon to use it as a weapon.

"Think of the brew you're so fond of. It didn't start out as the frothy ale you enjoy, did it?"

"No," agreed Hup. "Made with water. Many other things too. Must be filtered or tastes blah! No good."

"Yes, and then it must be fermented until it's considered a proper drinking brew, right?"

Hup nodded.

"Well," Deet went on, "it's something like that. I have to process the energy I'm collecting before it's fit for consumption by the life forms on our world."

Hup's confused look faded. "Ahhh, Hup sees now! Dark energy need filter process!"

Deet smiled at him. "That's right! And I have to keep doing that until it's gone, or it will spread again. You understand, don't you?"

Hup's mood plummeted, and he lowered his gaze. "Ya. Hup understand. Still not fair."

"It won't be forever," Deet promised. "If I could speed things up I would, but this is dangerous work and I have to be careful if I want to survive it."

He nodded, still crestfallen. Deet hugged him again. "Oh, Hup. It means so much to me that you went through all this trouble and risk to find me. You're a true friend."

"Deet worth it," he sniffed, hugging her back. "Can Hup at least visit?"

The Grottan bit her lip uncertainly. She would love to be able to visit with her friend, but she couldn't have him just popping in randomly whenever he felt like it. The danger of exposing him to the darkening wasn't worth it, and if she happened to be caught up in her weaving when he showed up, that might very well happen before she could stop it.

An idea came to Deet, then. Who said it had to be random? She had been keeping track of time by scouring nicks in a staff she'd fashioned from a fallen tree branch. She called it her time stick, and it helped her tell how many moons had passed since she came here and created her petrified dome.

"I'll tell you what," Deet said after some thought. "You can't come every day or without warning, because I need to be expecting you so I can stop working the energy floes in advance. I don't want you exposed to it. We can get around that, though! How about we agree to visit every three days? That way I can know when you're coming and there won't be such a risk to your safety."

Hup brightened and nodded enthusiastically. "Three days! Ya!"

Deet laughed a little, pleased and relived that she no longer had to be so alone. "It's settled, then! Here, I'll just put a star next to today's marking and...one moment..."

She looked around for her time stick, found it and carved a simple marking next to the one she'd scoured for that day. The knife she used to do this was precious to her; a gift from Rian. "There. I can keep track with this."

"Hup happy," he informed her.

"Me too. I...didn't realize how much I needed the company. I feel refreshed. Visiting you gave me the strength I need to carry on."

Hup smiled, and then he hesitated. "Ah...Rian could give more strength."

The mere mention of her handsome Stonewood friend made Deet's heart give a little _tha-thump_ of longing. "What do you mean?"

Hup looked at her almost as if he was insulted. "Deet need Rian. Rian need Deet. Hup not stupid. Is okay."

For the first time since she and Rian had nearly kissed, Deet felt her face heat up with a blush. "Um...oh. Well, I don't think it's a good idea to tell Rian about this. Not yet."

"Why? Rian could help!"

"I know that Rian would _want_ to help," she tried to explain, "but I'm afraid he would try to take me out of here. He would mean well, but just as I told you; I can't abandon the work I'm doing until it's complete. Until the crystal is healed, the Darkening will remain a threat and I have to keep it at bay."

"Tell Rian," urged Hup. "Would understand if explain."

Deet wanted to believe that, but she also knew that Rian, like any gelfling, sometimes let his emotions could his judgment. She was no different.

"Honestly, I don't know if I could resist the temptation to go with him if he asks me," she sighed. "Rian has a way of...um...making me lose my head sometimes."

The podling huffed. "Hup knows. Deet strong, though. Should see Rian. Would be good for Deet. Rian too."

"Just give me time," urged Deet. "I need to prepare myself for it, before I see him again. Please don't tell anyone about this visit, Hup. I need as few distractions as possible, and as much as I want to see everyone again, I can't have them all knowing where I am. Do you understand?"

He heaved a sigh, and he nodded. "Hup understands. Will keep quiet."

"Good." She smiled, fighting back more impending tears. If she could, she would spend the entire night visiting with him. She couldn't afford to slack off for long, though. "I'm afraid you can't stay any longer, my friend. I have to stay diligent. Our visits can only be brief."

"Okay." Hup looked at her, sighed and hugged her again. "Be back soon."

"See you in three days," agreed Deet. She gave him a little kiss on the nose. "Now go and have a bath! I've never seen you so dirty...not that I can talk."

"Heh. Hup do look a mess. Will go now."

"Wait, not that way," Deet told him, realizing he meant to crawl back through the tunnel he'd made in the ground. "I can part the thorn growth for you. I'm afraid I'm going to have to close up the tunnel you dug after you go, and I'll need to make the roots grow deeper to stop unfriendly visitors from sneaking in that way."

"But...how get back in?" Hup asked, nose crinkling in confusion.

"Hmm, let me see..." Deet looked around at their surroundings, already having an idea but in need of something to serve as a sort of key. She spotted a petrified seed pod on the ground that had dropped from one of the thorn vines. Perfect. She picked it up and held it between her palms, closing her eyes in concentration.

Hup watched with wide eyes as Deet's hands glowed with a pure, blue-white luminance. She opened her hands to hold out the pod to him. It was still glowing from her weaving, and it faded to look like an ordinary—albeit fossilized—seed pod again.

"Take this and keep it with you," Deet explained. "The next time you visit, take it out and whisper my name to it. I'll know you're here, and I can stop the flow of energy and let you in. Think of it as a kind of door knocker."

"Ooooh," said the podling in an impressed tone. He accepted the seed gravely, and he tucked it securely into one of his little belt pouches. He saluted her with his dirt crusted spoon. "Hup will guard with life!"

Deet chuckled. "I know you will. Now go and get some rest."

He gave her one last hug, slid his spoon into its special scabbard strapped to his back and then turned to leave. Deet pressed her hands flat against the ground and sent a mental command to the thorns. A small section of them reverted back to their natural state and parted for her friend like curtains. Deet caught a glimpse of Lore waiting on the other side of the tunnel she'd made for Hup to go through, and she was glad he hadn't come alone.

"And Hup," she called out, giving him cause to stop and turn to look back at her. "Try not to drink so much."

He grimaced, looking a little embarrassed. "Deet knows?"

"Yes, I've seen glimpses in my visions," she explained, eyes softening on him with care. "I know how fond you are of your brew, but I would like you to be more careful. Will you do that for me?"

He nodded. "Ya. Hup do anything for friend Deet. No drink so much."

Deet nodded in satisfaction and smiled. "Good. Sweet dreams, Hup."

* * *

The next morning, Rian held audience again with the townsfolk. It was going to be an ongoing process for a while, seeing as they were backed up on issues since they'd been without a leader for a while. It went a little easier this time, with fewer trivial matters brought to his attention. He was again grateful to have Brea at his side, giving him subtle signals and whispering to him when he needed her input on a matter.

"All right," he concluded as noon approached and all inquiries had been addressed. "I've heard all of your concerns and I'll do my best to resolve them. I think the first matter to be seen to is the idea a few of you have presented for a wall to be built. We'll outline plans for that right away, decide how high to build it, what materials would be best and how broad the perimeter needs to be. Remember, this clan is growing again and we'll also need to expand a bit, build new housing. I'll choose surveillance teams to determine the most ideal locations for future housing, to measure our boundaries and get an idea of where protective walls should be erected."

He fought a sigh of relief when he gave a nod to the council guards and one of them announced the audience concluded. These meetings were so draining. Though Rian was sitting through them, doing no physical labor, he found himself feeling fatigued as though he'd fought a battle after each one.

Gelfling cleared out, and this time the audience ended on a more positive note. His people seemed more satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, and that gave Rian a feeling of accomplishment.

Rian covered his mouth on a burp. "Excuse me. That was rude. My stomach's been a little upset since I started preparing for this morning's audience."

"You're just nervous," excused Brea softly. "Seladon used to have actual panic attacks before attending meetings like this when she first started taking on the duties Mother charged her with. You'll adjust to it in time and eventually, you won't feel this anxiety before every gathering."

"I'll take your word for it," he sighed. "Let's get out of here. Care for a stroll to stretch our legs a bit and work off this tension?"

"Absolutely," she agreed.

Together, they walked out of the Chamber of Council and began walking the paths through the village. Rian sighed again, this time with appreciation as the sunlight shined on him, providing some warmth on this chilly day. The skies were clear, though the residents of Stone in the Wood continuously looked up with anticipation. Everyone was still unsettled by the most recent plague of bats, and they all wondered when it might happen again.

These days, it was almost safer to be out at night.

"It's a beautiful day," commented Brea, linking an arm through his. "What shall we do to make the most of it before the next meeting tonight?"

Rian groaned softly at the reminder that the day's work still wasn't finished. It was all well and good to promise changes and appease people, but he actually had to put the work in. The proposed wall and expansion were the most important order of business to attend to.

"Right. Well, at least we have the rest of the day. Have you ever done any fishing?"

Brea made a face. "You mean with worms? And having to hook those poor fish—"

"Never mind," he chuckled. "I can see the idea isn't to your liking."

"Hmm, what about a picnic?" Brea suggested. "We could meet up with Rek'yr and put something together. I know a perfect spot on a hill, right next to a clear brook."

"I would like that," agreed Rian. His thoughts went to another friend that could probably use some companionship and a break from stress. "We should invite Hup to come along. It would give him something to do besides drink."

"Good idea," approved Brea. "Let's stop by my cottage and see if he's home."

As it turned out, there was no need. Hup was coming around the corner where another path met the one the two gelfling were on. He was spinning his spoon deftly and humming a little tune. Rian blinked at the sight of him. The podling was clean, wearing a fresh set of clothes and he'd trimmed and groomed his hair. It was so unlike the unkempt version they had been seeing so often of late that it gave Rian pause. Brea stopped too, exchanging a surprised look with him.

"Hup?" Rian called.

The podling stopped his humming and his eyes lit up when he saw the pair of them. "Ah, friend gelfling! Bright day, ya?"

"Y—es," Rian answered hesitantly, studying his friend. "It's a lovely day indeed."

"He doesn't act drunk," Brea whispered.

Rian shook his head and whispered back to her from the corner of his mouth. "No, he doesn't."

The two fell into silence as their podling friend approached, and Rian thought he almost looked like he was swaggering. "Well, you're awfully chipper today, Hup."

"Chip...chipper?" repeated the podling. Evidently he wasn't familiar with that term.

"He means you seem happy," obliged Brea. "Uncommonly happy, actually. You seem...well...different. More like the Hup we used to know."

Hup nodded, gave a little laugh. "Ya. Guess so."

"So," Rian pressed cautiously, "what changed? This is a dramatic difference."

Hup smirked and shrugged. "Hup cleaning up act. Tired of being drunk. No good! Better help to friends sober."

Rian smiled. "Well I don't know what caused this epiphany for you, but I'm grateful for it. Brea and I were just on our way to look for you."

"Yes," agreed Brea. "It's such a beautiful day. Perfect for a picnic. We wanted to invite you and Rek'yr along to enjoy some quality time of peace and quiet with us."

Rian braced himself, prepared for Hup to make a disparaging remark or blow a raspberry in response to Rek'yr being invited with them. He hadn't taken to the Dousan from the beginning, and Rian himself was still getting over his mistrust. Hup, however, surprised them again.

"Picnic sound fun! Hup help Rian put food together, and Brea go find Rek'yr."

"All right, I'll meet you both at the southern path out of the village!" Brea took off, leaving Rian and Hup to put together the picnic basket.

"Dis way," Hup urged. "Have munchies in house."

"All right." Rian followed his friend, and after a short while they made it to the cottage Hup was sharing with Brea. The recently crowned prince of Stone in the Wood stopped Hup before the Podling could get through the front door. "Just a moment."

Hup turned around to look up at him. "Hmm?"

Rian squatted so that he was more eye level with his companion. "Did something happen between yesterday and today to bring on this change of attitude for you? Are you sure you're feeling all right?"

"No worry about Hup," insisted the podling. He glanced around, and then he leaned closer to Rian. "Have surprise."

"A surprise?" Rian blinked. "For me?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Well, what is it?"

Hup grinned craftily. "Just wait."

Rian frowned. "Wait for what?"

"Mmm, two days," answered Hup. "Ya. Hup show Rian surprise in couple days."

More confused and curious than ever, Rian wanted to press for more information. He obviously wasn't going to get it, though. Hup opened the cottage door and walked in, humming contentedly.

What a strange podling Hup was.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: The All Maudra discovers she has some blessed news to impart. Brea gets her wish, and with Hup's help, Rian gets an opportunity he'd thought lost to him forever. Things don't go so smoothly for everyone, though. The Drenchen twins and their Spriton companion come across grim tidings in their journey, and previously vague threats come more sharply into focus. Two misfits begin a long and ponderous journey with no guarantee of success.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I'm thinking this story is going to jump onto an alternate timeline from canon. The more I look at some of the events (and contradictions) in the canon series timeline (such as when the Garthim Wars took place and uncertainty of how much time passes between Age of Resistance and the next Great Conjunction), the more I think I'm going to have to piece together my own AU timeline for this fanfiction series. Hopefully everyone will enjoy what I do with mine. :-)

The sound of twittering birds and the gentle din of morning gelfling activity gradually roused Seladon from her sleep. She yawned, not yet opening her eyes while waiting for her mind to wake up more. They had been back for two days now. The first thing she'd done upon their return was send her husband to the physician halls to have his shoulder properly cared for. She then called for a brief meeting with her council to discuss the latest plague of bats in the Dark Wood, as well as the vision shared with her by Rek'yr the Sandmaster.

Yesterday she'd held open audience, and afterwards created a list of tasks to be addressed. Today the council would assign representatives, workers and soldiers to get started on those tasks. Aside from reviewing harvest and winter supply storage reports, she had nothing scheduled for today.

That was a refreshing thought to Seladon. She could spend some quiet time with Vaurin after going over reports. His superiors had agreed to grant him temporary leave from duty until his shoulder healed. Not that they would have argued had Seladon made it a demand rather than a request, but she was trying not to abuse her status that way. While Vaurin was now officially Prince of the Vapra clan in title, he was still a Lieutenant by military rank. He didn't want special privileges over his fellow paladins, and Seladon respected that.

As her waking thoughts became clearer with the retreat of slumber, Seladon realized there was a weight on her stomach. She blinked her eyes open and looked down at her body, seeing the crown of a familiar head resting there. Presuming her paladin was asleep, Seladon reached down to stroke his silver and red-streaked hair. His upward facing ear twitched when she traced the nick on it, and he tilted his head to look up the length of her body at her. He kept his other ear pressed against her belly, like he was listening to something.

"Do you feel her?" Vaurin whispered.

Still half asleep, Seladon's brows furrowed. Perhaps she hadn't really woken up, and she was still dreaming. "Feel who?"

He lifted his head off her stomach, and he replaced it with his hand. Fingers spread, he rested his warm palm on her lower abdomen. "Quiet your thoughts," Vaurin whispered, "and listen to your inner senses."

She was still convinced she was having a dream, because his words made no sense. She could feel her mate's delight so clearly through their link, and then it dawned on her what he was implying.

Seladon listened with her spirit, her heart pounding faster. She couldn't sense it right away, but then Vaurin took her right hand in his, guided it to her belly and laid his own on top of it. That was when Seladon felt the fragile spark of life, separate from her own or her husband's but dwelling inside of her.

He was right. They had made a baby. He was also right about the gender. Seladon could feel the feminine energy in that vulnerable presence.

"She's...really there," breathed the All Maudra, staring blankly up at the ceiling. There was a mixture of emotions assaulting her; fear, wonder, excitement and something else. A fierce kind of love, the likes of which she'd never experienced before. It was as powerful as the love she bore for her husband, yet different.

She would kill for this childling, Seladon realized. Without question, without hesitation. It startled her to feel this way so soon. The seed they'd planted together had barely taken root, and so many things could happen before her pregnancy was firmly established.

Vaurin was evidently of the same mind, or at least on the same track. "You need to be especially careful for a while, my love. Take rest between duties frequently, decide on a midwife and a physician soon and be sure not to skip meals."

Her first impulse was to bristle at his demands and remind him that _she _was the All Maudra, but one look into that loving, expressive gaze of his deflated her ego. This wasn't about him trying to have control over her. It never really was, whenever Vaurin advised her so passionately.

"Yes, I will. We did it, Vaurin." She started to smile. "Our efforts worked."

He smiled back at her, and then he eased her hand away from her belly so that he could plant a quick kiss there. "They did. I need to go and see my mother while you're taking care of matters here."

"Now just a moment," protested Seladon, "you need to restrain yourself to light duty for a while as well."

"I intend to," he assured her. "I'll take a carriage to the farm. I won't try to help with any hard chores while I'm there, but I need to tell her and my brother the good news. I want her advice, as well."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow? I have nothing on my schedule for three days after this. We could spend it with the family."

He grimaced, looking conflicted. Seladon sat up, urging him to sit up as well. She reached out to stroke his cheek fondly. "I understand your eagerness to share the news, beloved. I'm eager as well, but it can wait for one more day. We've just discovered this ourselves. We should take some time to calm our emotions...enjoy this happiness as partners before we share it with others."

"So I take it you don't want to make an official announcement right away?"

Seladon shook her head without hesitation. "No. That alone would cause me stress, as it's sure to be followed by countless inquiries and unwanted advice. You want me to avoid undue anxiety, and I agree with that. We should only share the news with family for now, take some time to adjust to necessary changes. A moon cycle, perhaps two, and I should begin feeling physical symptoms of my condition. I think that will be the time to announce it."

His expression softened, and he nodded. "Wise lady," complimented the paladin. He kissed her lingeringly. "I agree. I'll do my best to contain myself and be patient, but may I at _least_ begin packing some things for us and preparing our carriage? It will give me something to do besides walk around grinning like a fool."

Seladon chuckled, and she combed her fingers through his hair to tame his tumbled locks back into place. "You really are grinning like a fool...but you're _my_ fool." She kissed him on the nose.

* * *

Brea had finished her drawing of the creature Rek'yr and Vaurin both saw in their vision. She had taken time for some finishing touches, shading and coloring it, before taking her journal to Rian to show the result to him. He grimaced as he examined the drawing.

"_This_ is what they both saw? It's hideous." He looked up from the journal, his brilliant, blue-green eyes softening. "I mean, the drawing is very good, of course. The creature itself is something from nightmares."

"I know," she sighed, glancing down at the image. "It's no wonder Prince Vaurin seemed so traumatized when he gave his account of his own experience. I want to draw six more like this to send out to the clans. Everyone needs to know what it is we could be facing; especially my sister."

"I agree wholeheartedly." Rian looked at the drawing one more time, and then he closed her journal and offered it back to her. He combed his fingers through his hair in thought, loosening a few strands from the clip he'd gathered the sides back with. "It's too bad Gurjin and the others left before you could complete the additional sketches. It might have been helpful for them to have something solid to show their Maudras."

"It can't be helped," reasoned Brea. "There's possibly an immediate threat to their clan territories. Better for Maudra Laesid and Maudra Mera to be informed of it quickly than to wait. We can send out illustrations to the clans once I've finished them."

"Can you estimate how long it might take you? Not that I want to rush you, but it would be useful to know how soon they'll be finished so that I can request volunteers to carry the information. Always better to plan ahead, I think."

"Of course," agreed Brea. She tucked her journal into the drawstring purse she carried it in. "The initial sketch took as long as it did because I had to collaborate with Rek'yr to ensure the best possible accuracy. Now that I've completed the first one, the others should be easier and take less time. I'll just use the original as a reference. I think I might be able to have them all finished by the end of the day, but if not, definitely by tomorrow."

"All right. I'll put the word out that volunteers should be prepared to travel in two day's time, at first light. They need to journey in pairs at the very least, though three to five would be more ideal for safety."

"Yes. I should get to work on that right away." Brea reached out to give her friend's shoulder a squeeze. "You're doing a wonderful job leading this clan. Keep it up!"

"I appreciate the vote of confidence." He smiled gratefully at her.

* * *

It was well past sunset when Brea completed the final drawing, and she was surprised to look out her window and see that it was dark out. She'd taken small breaks to snack on things, relieve her bladder and refresh herself with beverages, but most of her day had been spent sitting at the kitchen table. Her back, neck and shoulders ached from being hunched over for so long, and her fingers were smudged with ink and coloring chalk.

Brea rolled up each parchment one by one and stuffed them into individual scroll cases for safe keeping. She yawned and stretched, wondering how late the hour was. There was no point in delivering them to Rian now and possibly disturbing his sleep. She'd told him she would have it finished by tomorrow, and the courier departures weren't for two days.

She realized that she hadn't seen Hup since lunch time. Nor had Rek'yr stopped by to visit her. Hopefully the former was staying sober as promised. As for the latter, it occurred to Brea that her suitor might have decided to volunteer to deliver the message to the Dousan clan himself. He hadn't told her as much, but she couldn't hold it against him if that was what he decided to do. She would have offered to travel with him to the Wellspring, except she herself intended to be in the party bound for Ha'rar.

"What a mess we're in," she sighed to herself. Finally finished, she collected the scroll cases off the table and stacked them neatly in the corner of the common area. Brea stretched and yawned, blinking tired eyes. Perhaps she should go out and look for Hup, just to be sure he wasn't getting into trouble.

The princess pulled her boots on, draped herself in her winter cloak and went outside to gather more cords of wood for the fireplace. Lore wasn't in his usual spot behind the cottage, so Brea assumed he must be somewhere off with Hup. That gave her some comfort. At least her little friend wasn't alone. Lore had formed a bond with the podling and he was quite diligent about watching over him, though Brea knew the creature would come to her aid immediately if she was in danger herself.

Brea thought about going to search for Rek'yr, but she was so sore and tired that she thought it best to just feed more wood to the fire and wind down for bed. She started heading back inside, but then she saw a familiar figure approaching her cottage on the stone lined path. Brea smiled, adjusting the wood stacked in her arms. It was like her very thoughts had summoned her love interest.

"Good evening, Princess," greeted Rek'yr, looking ruggedly handsome in his ensemble of Stonewood leathers and lace-up, insulated boots.

Brea decided the man could make anything he wore look good, but the woodland browns and greens he had on tonight really complimented the gold and blue color gradients of his skin.

"Good evening. I was just thinking of looking for you. I'm not even sure how late it is."

"I would have come calling earlier," he explained, "but for the meeting I was attending."

He walked up to her door, and he held his arms out in a silent offer of assistance. Brea accepted, loading the firewood into his arms. "Ah, I didn't even consider you might be there. Of _course_ you would attend. Are you...planning to join the missive to your clan?"

He stepped through the threshold while she held the door open for him. Rek'yr set the wood down on top of the three pieces already stacked in the iron log holder by the fireplace. He then placed a couple of them in the fireplace and stoked it with the poker.

"I go where you go, Brea. I wasn't making arrangements to journey to the Wellspring myself this evening. I was giving instructions to the party of volunteers that will go in my stead. I also gave them an amulet with my seal on it as proof that they have my permission to enter and speak with our Maudra."

Brea stared at him as the Dousan straightened up and wiped his hands on his breeches. "You intend to travel with me to Ha'rar instead of to your own homeland?"

Rek'yr closed the distance between them, coming to a stop before her. His gaze slid up and down her form, then came to rest on her face. He nodded. "My people are nomadic, Princess. We make our home wherever we see fit. The only consistent haven for the Dousan is the Wellspring, where we stop in to rest, replenish and socialize with one another...or to bring an issue to Maudra Seethi's attention. Not many of us stay in one place for long."

He cupped her face gently in his palms, and he lowered his voice. "Now my home is wherever you are, for as long as you'll have me."

Brea's knees began to feel suspiciously weak. "That almost...sounded like a proposal."

"Almost?" Rek'yr frowned. "Then I failed to express myself properly. Allow me the chance to try again."

Brea gulped, eyes wide as her Dousan warrior took both of her hands in his, kissed the top of each one and stared deeply into her eyes again. "Princess Brea of the Vapra clan. I Rek'yr, Sandmaster of the Southern Xeric, wish to pledge myself to you. Only to you. My promise to you is that no other will have my heart save you. In return, I hope that you'll consider me worthy of being your husband someday in the future."

Brea kept staring at him, her face blooming with color. A wild sort of giddiness was taking over, and she was struggling to hold her composure. She'd expected the two of them to lay together long before getting a promise offer from him.

"I understand that you have many gelfling interested in your hand," Rek'yr went on when she didn't answer, "most of them far better suited than I to receive the honor. If you need to think on it—"

"Yes!" Blurted the young princess, finally discovering her voice again.

"I see," whispered Rek'yr, his voice faintly disappointed. "I understand. I will give you the space you need."

"Oh, I didn't mean yes to that. No, I don't!"

Rek'yr furrowed his brow. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

Brea shook her head, cursing herself for her failure to articulate. "No, I don't need to think on it. When I said yes, I meant that I accept your gracious proposal."

He relaxed, and a smile curved his lips. For a moment, he lost his majestic stoicism and looked almost boyish with delight. "You do? Truly?"

Brea laughed with giddy delight, and she threw her arms around his neck. "Yes! Yes and more yes!"

He put his arms around her and lifted her off her feet, then surprised her further by spinning her around. "I've faced the Hunter himself and stared death in the face many times," announced Rek'yr, "but all of that seems trivial compared to the fear I had to overcome to speak those words to you."

Though she'd seen evidence of his aversion to going near the Circle of the Suns, Brea couldn't imagine Rek'yr being afraid of much at all. She had wanted to urge their relationship onto the next level for some time now, but she'd been too cowardly to speak up.

Brea had been envious of her sister's relationship with her paladin, not because she had designs on Vaurin, but because of how passionate and romantic their courtship had been. She thought she might never experience that sort of wildfire romance, because Rek'yr was so reserved and respectful of her.

Now she'd gotten her wish. She'd been swept off her feet by the most romantic proposal Brea could ever imagine—and she had a large imagination. Not that she was competing with Seladon for who had the most romantic courtship; her sister still won that hands down. This, however, was more than Brea had expected.

Rek'yr set her back down on her feet, still holding her close. After a moment, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply. Brea's fingers curled against the soft leather of his shirt. She returned his kiss eagerly, finding such moments too few and far between. She gasped when he suddenly scooped her up and carried her bridal style to the bed alcove. The wild thought that he was about to initiate sex with her made her heart flutter and her breath catch.

Rek'yr did not, however, join her on the bed. He lay her down gently on it, broke the kiss and then proceeded to unlace her boots for her.

"What...are you doing?" Brea asked, still trying to recover from that kiss and his unexpected actions.

"Getting you more comfortable." He seated himself on the edge of the bed at the foot of it as he worked her boots off, and then he rubbed her feet between his warm hands. "You've had a very long, repetitive day, Brea. You should rest."

"I was only drawing," she reasoned, even as the contact with the soft mattress reminded her of how tired she was. "There's nothing—" she yawned in spite of herself, breaking her sentence—"physically demanding in that."

"Long periods of extreme concentration are just as fatiguing as vigorous exercise. You gave it your all today, and you deserve some reward for your resolve, Lady." He began to massage her feet, and he smiled when Brea's eyes lost focus. "Do you know that the bottom of the feet connect to each part of our bodies? Certain points can be massaged to ease tension, to strengthen the blood flow, even to invoke pleasure more specific to other things."

Brea had trouble following his meaning. What did that last bit mean? She sighed as he rubbed the webbing between her big and second toes at the same time, and she began to see what he meant. The tension headache that had started at the base of her skull was fading.

"Oh, that's nice," she whispered.

She closed her eyes, her disappointment over the discovery that he didn't intend to join with her this night fading with her tension. It would have been a foolish thing to do anyway, to get caught up in passion when Hup could return home at any moment. She would have died of embarrassment if her friend came in and found her in the middle of coupling with Rek'yr.

Brea felt his nails lightly caress the pads of her toes, and while it tickled, it also felt unexpectedly sensual. She examined the feeling, cracking her eyes open and peering up at him through her lashes. Rek'yr was staring at her, she realized, and not just at her face. He was looking her body up and down. For the first time, he wasn't hiding his desire behind a gentlemanly mask. He was looking at her the way other males did when she caught their eye.

Rek'yr, it seemed, wasn't so immune to masculine urges as she'd supposed. He didn't seem to realize she was watching him, because her eyes were just barely open. He kept caressing her toes, and the blatant appreciation in his gaze as he looked her over from head to toe made the princess blush. It also stirred her desire again, and that funny tingle his touch was igniting in her made it stronger.

Oh, Hup had better hurry back soon, Brea thought to herself, or else she might forget her earlier decision that it was better not to let things go too far with her suitor tonight.

* * *

"Why won't you just tell me where we're going?" Rian sighed, trudging along in the dark with Hup. Lore followed closely behind them.

"See soon," Hup promised.

Rian rolled his eyes. "Fine, be that way."

What he really wanted to be doing right now was having an ale with some of his clan mates before seeking the warmth of his bed. Instead, Hup had dragged him out into the wilderness for this alleged "surprise" he'd been hinting at. Rian wondered if his friends had concocted some sort of private party for him to help ease his tension. It sounded like something they would do; particularly Gurjin. Gurjin wasn't there, however. He was more than two days' travel from there with two of Rian's other friends, on a mission to Sami Thicket and then to Great Smerth.

As they trekked on, Rian began to notice familiar turns and bits of landscape. Everything always looked a little different at night, but he'd traveled this path many times since the battle for Stone in the Wood.

"Hup," Rian said, concerned and a bit uneasy, "we're heading straight for the Tangle."

Hup didn't pause. He looked up at Rian and he nodded. "Ya."

Rian caught the podling by the shoulder, turning him around urgently. "Hup, I'm in no mood to visit that place. I've had a very trying day and the last thing I want is to stand there lamenting my inability to break through that barrier. If this is your idea of a gift or a surprise, it's in poor taste."

Hup frowned, and he heaved a sigh when he saw the tears Rian was trying to hold back. He patted Rian's forearm, and he spoke in a sincere, determined voice. "Trust Hup, friend Rian. Is no joke. Come. I show."

Rian wiped his eyes. He still didn't understand why Hup was bringing him there, but he did trust the podling wasn't trying to pull some cruel trick on him. It wasn't in Hup's nature. He kept following along, holding up his lantern to light the way. They came to the broad expanse of the base of the tangle, a dark, ominous dome of twisted vine and thorn. Impenetrable, as far as anyone had been able to determine.

But perhaps...

"Hup," Rian whispered to his diminutive companion, "did you find a weakness? Is that what my surprise is meant to be?"

Hup shrugged. "Eh, little bit. Here, time to show Rian."

Rian looked to Lore, who had shambled to a stop behind them. There were no answers from that quarter. The stone creature stood silent and watchful, offering no input. Rian looked away from Lore when Hup pulled something out of one of his pouches. The gelfling frowned, peering over Hup's shoulder to have a look at what he had.

"A seed pod? Hup, have you gone mad?"

"Hmph." The podling shot him an offended look. "No crazy. Watch."

Hup then walked up to the base of the dome, held out the seed pod and spoke one word, almost reverently. "Deet."

Rian rubbed his forehead. Fantastic, Hup was clearly delusional. It explained his sudden turnaround in attitude, his unexplained burst of cheer. The podling, it seemed, was under the belief that the seed pod he held in his hands was Deet.

"Hup, that's just a pod," Rian tried to explain as gently as he could. "Deet isn't...in...there..."

Rian's words faded into amazed silence as the seed pod began to glow blue and silver, lighting up their surroundings nearly as brightly as the lantern he held in his hand. He heard a rustling sound, and Rian looked up to see that part of the dome was moving. The vines had come to life in one spot only, parting to reveal a tunnel in the mysterious growth.

"Ah...Hup?"

The podling put his seed pod away, and its glow had faded. He motioned for Rian urgently. "Come! Not stay open long."

"I don't think I like this," whispered Rian, suddenly on edge. Dry mouthed, he began to feel the hesitant stirrings of hope. This was where he'd last seen Deet, and Hup was urging him forward with such excitement. Maybe the podling hadn't lost his mind after all.

One thing was for sure, Rian wouldn't find out the answer by staying outside. He took a deep breath, kept one hand on the hilt of his blade and ducked into the tunnel behind his companion. It was tight and narrow; Rian was forced to walk hunched over the entire way. Eventually though, the tunnel opened up.

Rian couldn't see anything past Hup until he stepped out of the tunnel and began to straighten up. He looked up at the ceiling of the dome, high above them. It was more spacious inside than he'd suspected. He'd thought the interior would be a mass of tangled vines with only a small hollow spot at its center. Clearly he'd been wrong. While the barrier was at least as deep as three average sized gelfling were tall, the interior was completely hollow.

"Hup!"

The sound of that voice calling the podling's name tore at Rian's very soul, yanking his attention immediately away from the interior structure of his surroundings. He straightened up to full height and saw, sitting cross-legged in the center of the dome, the sum totality of his fondest hopes.

Deet was looking at Hup, but the moment Rian came into view her attention switched to him. Deet's eyes widened, and she put a hand over her mouth to suppress a gasp. She looked frantically between Hup and Rian, and then she fixated on the podling.

"You swore not to say anything!"

Rian looked down at Hup, just as wide-eyed as Deet. "Why didn't you just _tell_ me?"

"Fabima dah shoovey," Hup blurted, turning around in circles as both gelfling started blasting him with accusations. "Hold! Hold and listen!"

The pair broke off in mid-sentence, their eyes meeting again across the distance. Rian saw no purple, glowing veins marring his Grottan friend's smooth greenish skin. Her eyes were the same dark, gentle ones he remembered, not lit from within by unwholesome, twisted energy. They were deep and fathomless to him. He felt he could drown in that soft, innocent gaze.

"Hup not say anything," explained the podling, gesturing at Rian. "Only said to follow. Didn't break promise to Deet."

She frowned, her gaze flicking to Hup before moving back to Rian.

"It's true," confirmed Rian with a rueful smirk at Hup. "He didn't tell me anything. All he said was that he had a surprise and he dragged me out after dark to here. I...honestly, I thought he'd lost his mind."

Rian stepped around Hup, hardly watching where he was going. He approached Deet, who looked like a scared, wild animal about to flee. He stumbled to his knees before her, and he reached out a trembling hand to touch her unkempt white hair. Soft as cotton with random little braids here and there throughout, he didn't care that it wasn't silky and shiny or styled in a fancy way.

"You're here," he whispered, smiling tremulously. "You're really here. There were times I thought I was going insane, thinking I could feel your presence each time I was near this place. I wondered if the Darkening had consumed you after all and I was just longing for a ghost, but here you are."

"Rian, I..." she sounded so helpless, so unsure. She looked to Hup again, who stood back watching quietly. "Why, when I told you I needed time?"

"Because Deet needs Rian," insisted Hup. He looked at Rian when the male gelfling turned around to regard him. "Dis your visit. Hup wait outside."

The podling trudged away, back through the tunnel. It started closing up behind him and Hup was force to pick up the pace. Within moments the opening was sealed and it was just Rian and Deet together.

* * *

It took several moments for either of them to speak. Rian seemed just as stunned by this reunion as she was. Deet finally mentioned the silver and copper interwoven circlet he wore on his brow, and she told him she'd seen the coronation while in the dream world.

"It suits you," she complimented. "I like it."

Rian lowered his gaze in that subtly shy way of his. "Well, I tried to keep it fairly simple when they asked for my opinion of the design. I don't need something flashy or heavy." His gaze met hers again. "Tell me about you. What's been happening for all this time? You seem cured of the Darkening that filled you just before you left. Can you...return home with us?"

She wished nothing more than to answer yes, to take his hand and leave with him. It was as she'd feared, the reason she'd asked Hup not to bring Rian here or tell him about finding her. It seemed the Podling stubbornly persisted in his belief that they needed to be together.

"I'm sorry Rian, but I can't. I wish that I could, but there's still so much I need to do. I'm not cured. It isn't a sickness. Well, not exactly. Let me try to explain."

He nodded and sat cross-legged before her, resting his forearms on his knees. Deet started to talk, shook her head and decided on another path. She held her hands up, nibbling her lower lip.

"I think it's easier to dreamfast," she explained. "You'll see what I've seen, learn what I've learned."

His ears went back for a moment, and then he raised his own hands to press them flat against hers. Deet showed him what she'd been doing, revealed to him that she'd been in communication with Mother Aughra while in the dream world. She also showed him the visions she'd been sent by Thra, and she gave him a name to call the shambling black monsters and the winged pests that had been appearing of late.

When it ended, he was shaken and gasping. Deet leaned forward to stroke his thick, long hair, attempting to sooth him while he recovered from the rush of knowledge he'd been granted. He stared at her, stunned by all of the revelations.

"I've been trying to reach gelfling through the dream world," explained Deet, "send them the visions I've seen. I don't have many opportunities to do it though, because my attention can't drift for very long."

"I understand," Rian assured. "Aughra is traveling to where she believes she might find the mystics, last we heard. I'm sure if she could have shared this information with us, she would have."

"Well, she only recently got it," Deet clarified. "I saw visions of the Garthim when the Sanctuary tree gifted me its power, but what I saw was only one of many possibilities for the future. I wasn't even sure it was real. It was a portent of what _could_ happen, but not definite."

"But the Garthim and the crystal bats are definitely real," pointed out Rian. "I've seen the latter with my own two eyes, and the former has been seen by the Arathim. The All Maudra's husband lost his father to an attack by one of them, in fact."

Deet's ears drooped at the news. "I'm so sorry. Yes, they're both real. I only learned that recently myself. I sent out the vision through the dream world, but those who receive it in their sleep are probably convinced it was just a nightmare. I couldn't blame them."

"Well, your warning about the Garthim in the swamps did make it through to at least _one_ gelfling," Rian informed her. "A Dousan named Rek'yr. You met him once in the Crystal Sea, do you remember?"

"Oh, yes! He gave us a ride on that beautiful flying beast of his! He was the one that got the message?"

Rian nodded, smiling. "Yes, on the same day the second colony of crystal bats appeared in Stone in the Wood. Brea worked with him to create a likeliness of the Garthim on parchment, so that people would know what they look like." He sobered, and he blinked at her. "I just realized something. You shared your vision with me through dreamfasting. That shouldn't be possible."

"It wouldn't be if I hadn't seen it for myself. Part of what must have confused you the most about the dreamfast was the concept of astral travel. Mother Aughra taught me how during our visits in the dream world. I was able to share the vision of the Garthim in the swamps because I was actually _there_ to see it. Not in the flesh, but in the spirit."

"Oh. I...think I get it."

Deet smiled at him. "I don't think you do, but thanks for trying anyway."

He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "So you're able to travel out of your body with your consciousness, is that right?"

She nodded. "It's hard to achieve. You leave your body behind and it feels almost like a dream. You can travel to other places, but doing it for long takes immense concentration and practice. I've been there to see some of the events take place that you shared with me, but not all of them."

"How did Hup find his way in here?" Rian asked after thinking it over. "Did you guide him somehow? Through your out of body travels?"

She grimaced and shook her head. "No. He did that all on his own. He decided to tunnel like a nurloc _underneath_ the dome. I hadn't thought to extend the root system deeply enough to stop that from happening."

Rian laughed. "That podling is the most determined creature on Thra. He really loves you, you know."

Deet nodded. "I know. I love him too. Just not the way I...oh, never mind."

"What?"

He was staring at her now, making her stomach do flips. Deet had nearly said she didn't love Hup the way she loved Rian, but she'd mercifully caught herself in time to stop the words from slipping out.

"Just not the way I think Hup loves me," finished Deet, speaking truthfully enough. "I hope he doesn't come to hate me for that."

"He won't," promised Rian. "I think your happiness and friendship are what matter the most to Hup."

Deet tried not to stare so much at her friend. She again remembered the way he'd held her hand before the battle for Stone in the Wood, the way he'd started closing in on her as if to kiss her. She still regretted the way she'd pulled back in a panic, breaking the moment because she feared he would see the traces of Darkening corrupting her hands.

"We must find a way to heal the crystal," Deet said, reminding herself of what was important. "The Darkening is originating from it, so the only way to stop it completely is to convert the energy it's putting out back to its pure state. Making it whole again will do that. Until then, I must stay here indefinitely and continue purifying the dark energy, to keep it from spreading again."

Rian's expression hardened with determination. "It will be done, Deet. One way or the other, we'll make it happen and you can be free."

She smiled tenderly at him, having faith in his courage and resolve, even if the odds were stacked against him. "Just so you don't get killed in the process. I don't want to come out of this dome only to find I have no friends left alive."

He nodded gravely. "We'll all do our best to survive. Now I have even better reason to."

Deet began to blush again under that steady, brilliant stare of his. "You should impart the knowledge I've shared with you to the clans. Tell them what we know so far. If I learn of any weaknesses the Garthim might have that we could exploit, I'll be sure to let you know. So far, it seems like their only vulnerability is the degeneration that happens when they travel too far from the crystal. They're getting stronger though, Rian."

"They are," he agreed. "The first time we encountered the crystal bats, they died off on their own almost immediately. This last time, they stayed around for hours. If not for Rek'yr coming up with the idea to shoo them off with fire and smoke, we might have been trapped in our homes for much longer."

"Once they aren't so dependent on the crystal's energy," predicted Deet, "they'll become a serious threat to Gelfling. Did you see the part about what the Skeksis are doing with the crystal?"

Rian's face darkened, and he nodded. "Yes. Changing the way it drains victims. Leaving behind living husks. Those poor podlings."

"I know, it's awful," sighed Deet, shuddering at the memory of seeing it all for herself. "But the bright side—if you can see one—is that unless the skeksis dispose of them afterwards, anyone drained by the crystal from now on has a chance at being restored. If the body isn't destroyed in the process, the soul could theoretically be reunited with it. Once the crystal is healed, all of the essence stolen and consumed by the Skeksis should be returned to Thra. Or the bodies it originally inhabited."

Rian's ears perked, and Deet could tell that his thoughts were turning inward as his eyes lost focus on her. "So even the previous victims could still be returned to Thra? Including the very first?"

Deet understood. He'd shown her and countless other gelfling what had happened to his love interest Mira. She had been the first victim of the Skeksis relentless greed for essence. The first to be consumed by them, their spirits divided between the Lords of the Crystal, prisoners until someone found a way to release them and thought to be gone forever in every way. Had it not been for Mira's demise, she and Rian might have become life mates.

"Yes," comforted Deet. "Even the very first. They aren't in oblivion, Rian. They aren't completely gone. They just can't return to Thra until things are set right. I can even sense snatches of some of them in the spirit flow, parts of them that must have been freed with the death of one of the skeksis that consumed them."

"How many skeksis have died besides the hunter?" Rian questioned. "He only died because his counterpart threw himself over a cliff. Did something happen to one of the others?"

"The one called the General," confirmed Deet. "He was killed by one of his own during the battle of Stone in the Wood. Chamberlain did it."

Rian blinked, obviously surprised. "They turn on their own. Even when they're so desperate to ensure their race live forever."

"I guess so," agreed Deet. "I'm not sure what it was about, but Thra told me they had some sort of quarrel after you stabbed the General in combat. Chamberlain took advantage of his injury. So that's one less skeksis and one less mystic."

"Whatever it takes, I'll make sure we get back what the Skeksis has stolen from our world."

"So long as you don't try to do it alone," cautioned Deet. "I know how personal it is to you, but always try to think with your head before your heart. No sacrificing yourself, okay?"

He smiled. "As you command, Lady Deet."

The Grottan giggled softly. "That sounds so strange and formal. Don't make a habit of it!"

"I'll try not to."

Rian's smile faded, and he was again staring deeply into her eyes. "I know that I can't stay much longer. I understand you have important work to carry on and can't be kept from it. I'd like to see you again, though."

"Of course. I would like that. Only every three days, though." An idea came to Deet then, and she dug through her bag of meager belongings to fish out a special gift. It was the carved wooden nurloc toy her fathers had made for her little brother. While Rian watched, Deet infused it with spirit energy just as she had with the seed pod that she'd given to Hup.

"Here, you keep this," she offered, holding the toy out for Rian. "Bobbin gave it to me before we left the Sanctuary tree for Stone in the Wood. He thought it would protect me. I'm sure it will be safe in your hands."

Rian accepted the gift, looking it over before meeting her eyes again. "And I can use this to part the thorns when I come to visit?"

"Yes," assured Deet. "Just speak my name to it when you're outside the dome. I'll hear it, and I can stop my weaving to let you in. Just as I did tonight."

"I see. Nice trick." He smiled, and he tucked the toy carefully under one arm. He looked at her again and he sighed, his expression falling into subtle angst. "There's one thing that I've wanted so badly to do, but never got the chance to."

His eyes were soft and intense on her at the same time, and his ears laid back a little. Deet felt like her belly was filled with a thousand whirly flies all the sudden. She swallowed again, feeling his fingers slide into her hair to cup the back of her head.

"And...what is that?"

He hesitated, lowering his eyes for a moment to shadow them with those thick, long lashes of his. Then he looked at her again, tilted his head and leaned in. He did it slowly, as though she were a wild animal that might take flight at any moment. As his lips came nearer, Deet realized she was supposed to close her eyes. That was how kissing was done, wasn't it? Her fathers always closed their eyes when they kissed.

She wanted to look at him, though, so she only closed them partway. He kept his eyes open until the very last minute, and then they closed as his lips touched Deet's. It was a soft caress at first, almost tickling in its gentleness. Then he applied more pressure, and it began to change from something sweet like a lullaby to something a bit more urgent.

Deet's eyes finally closed all the way, and she touched his face. Her hands were dirty. She surely smelled because she hadn't had a bath in Thra only knew how long, but Rian seemed to embrace that earthy scent. In fact, it almost seemed to spur him on. His lips moved against hers, and he turned his head the other way to kiss her even deeper from a different angle.

She thought she heard drums from somewhere, a heavy bass with an echo like the big drums her clan played during ceremonies. Deet gave a little start when she felt Rian's tongue slip delicately between her lips, and then it met with hers and she realized the drumming she heard was her own heartbeat, pounding erratically in her ears—which had laid back like Rian's.

Their free hands reached for each other's fingers entwining as the kiss went on. So this was what it was like. Deet had asked Mitjan what it felt like to be kissed by someone you were in love with. He said it was like falling from a great height and then being swept up in a current. He said it made you feel more alive than you ever thought possible, but sometimes that love was so strong that it caused a physical ache inside.

Deet thought he was exaggerating. While she had no doubt that her fathers loved each other very much and enjoyed hugging and kissing whenever possible, she couldn't imagine one kiss having the power to make someone feel the way Mitjan had described.

She had been wrong. So very, very wrong.

Somehow Deet ended up sideways in Rian's lap. Her responses to his actions were awkward and inexperienced, but that didn't stop the Grottan from trying to learn and experiment. After a while, she was kissing him back with as much fervor as he'd been demonstrating to her.

They finally broke the kiss and stared into each other's eyes for long moments, just sitting there like that with her cradled in his arms. He then hugged her close, and reality dissolved the spell between them, reminding them both that this moment couldn't last.

Rian sighed, gently releasing her from his embrace. Deet climbed out of his lap, feeling the heat in her face. She straightened her tattered clothing, though nothing had happened between them that gave cause to worry about that.

"You should go," Deet whispered, apologetic.

"I know." Rian picked up the toy nurloc again to tuck it beneath his arm. He started to get to his feet, but he paused on one knee and looked to her again. He reached out to stroke her cheek, and then he closed in one last time to kiss her on the forehead.

"Hup and I will see you in three days," promised Rian. "I know you said Thra sustains you while you're purifying energy or in a dream state, but I'm going to bring you something the next time all the same. You like berries. We'll bring a whole basket of them for you. Fresh water to drink, too. Sustenance alone isn't the same thing as enjoying something tasty."

Deet smiled shyly at him. "That's very sweet of you, Rian. I look forward to it. Spread the word to the clans. Tell them what I've shown you and if they ask, say you saw it in a vision. Please don't tell them we met in person."

"I understand. I'll carry the word to our kin, make sure every gelfling knows what we're really up against. Don't worry, Deet; you won't be a prisoner in here forever. The day is coming. Gelfling will rise again and when that day comes, we'll fulfill our part in the song and heal the crystal. You'll be free."

Deet wanted to remind him that she wasn't _actually_ a prisoner, that she was there of her own volition. However, a prison built by one's own choice was still a prison.

"Until that day." She forced a smile for him. "I'll do my part. Goodnight, Rian."

"Goodnight, Deet."

* * *

Brea woke up to the sound of Hup's snoring. She frowned and rolled over. The curtains in the bed alcove had been drawn, though she didn't recall doing it herself. She remembered her evening with Rek'yr and she smiled dreamily, replaying it in her head. She must have fallen asleep at some point. That foot rub he gave her felt so heavenly. She hadn't slept so well in some time.

Rek'yr must have closed her curtains before leaving quietly in the night. Brea was mildly disappointed not to find her promised one pressed up against her in the bed, but Rek'yr was a gentleman. It wasn't so surprising that he would quietly see himself out once she fell asleep.

She sat up with a yawn, pushed the curtains aside and grinned when she saw Hup curled up in a ball in his little basket bed. Sometimes he reminded her of one of the fizzgig that so freely roamed about Stone in the Wood; small and cute but quite fierce and stubborn, too.

The princess stretched leisurely and grinned, and then she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before slipping out of her bed and making it back up. The floor was cold against her bare feet; it was a chill morning, and the fire had gone out sometime overnight. The first order of business was to clean out the hearth and prepare it for another fire.

Brea had learned to be conservative with her fuel as the cold weather came in. Rian had shown her how to use dried moss for kindling and he'd explained that their wood supplies needed to last through the winter. Therefore, she tried to wait to light the hearth until sunset, relying on warm clothing during daylight hours. There were community fire pits throughout the village usually burning during the daytime so that friends and neighbors could gather and socialize around them. Home fires should be reserved for when one was at home for more than an hour.

The Stonewood tried not to take more than they needed from the forest. Most of their fuel supplies for fires came from dead wood. They did have to cut down live trees from time to time for the purpose of carpentry, making weapons or furniture and to replenish fuel supplies when low enough. The Stonewood were very selective about which trees they marked for lumber, always careful to check for animal habitation and location, and they never took from the same part of the forest more than twice per trine.

With this thought in mind, Brea selected her outfit for the day and changed behind the privacy divider near her bed alcove. She paused as she walked by Hup's bed, and she bent over to tuck him under his top quilt more securely. She cleaned out the fireplace and set it up to be lit again later, and then she brushed her hair. She gathered up the scroll cases she'd filled and stacked the night before, intending to bring them straight to Rian.

She'd barely set foot out her door when she saw the very person she was going to see walking up the path to her cottage. Brea glanced down at the scrolls in her arms, then back up at Rian as he closed the distance.

"I was just on my way to bring these to you," she explained. "It must be later in the morning than I thought."

"No, the suns have only been up for a couple of hours," he assured her. "I was hoping you would be awake, though. There has to be a change of plans."

Brea frowned at him. "You aren't going to send out the messengers with my drawings after all?"

"I still am," he explained, "but I have additional information I need to impart to all of you. The entire village, in fact."

"Did a missive come with more news?" Brea asked.

"No. I had a vision last night, and I'm convinced it was sent to me from Deet. I know what these new creatures that have started cropping up are now. I have names for them, and I know where they're coming from. There's more to it than that; much more. I wanted to come and see you first to let you know. I'm calling for the town meeting in two hours. Make sure you and Hup are ready and awake, because this is very important."

Brea blinked at him. She would have questioned his belief that he'd had a vision sent from Deet, but there was such absolute certainty in his eyes that she couldn't doubt him. Rian was changing more with each day, and not in a negative way. He was still Rian at heart, still had the same sense of humor, the same occasional awkward moments, the same warm laugh. What had changed in Rian was his outlook, his demeanor when it came to leading others.

With each rise of the three brothers, Rian became more the Prince of Stone in the Wood and less the uncertain boy he'd started out as. As she reflected on this, Brea realized that she too had grown. She didn't shirk responsibilities in favor of reading books as she once did.

They were each of them changing, growing up perhaps a bit faster than they would have if not for the struggles they'd seen since meeting each other. They weren't the group of younglings they'd set out as. She wondered how much Deet had changed since they last saw her. Like Rian, Brea refused to believe their friend was dead and it seemed Rian might have proof to support that.

"Rian, don't forget these," Brea called when he turned to leave.

"Oh. Excuse me, yes." Rian came up to her to collect the armload of scroll cases. "I'm sorry Brea. I have so much on my mind trying to organize things. That was rude of me to leave you standing there holding these."

"It's all right." She smiled forgivingly at him. "Here, let me keep half, and I'll walk with you to put them away until they're needed. I want to hear more about this vision of yours before everyone's bombarding you with questions to the point where I can't ask my own."

"Ah, the questions," sighed Rian as he took most of the scrolls and they set off together. "This is going to be fun."

* * *

While Rian was preparing to share what he'd learned with the whole of Stone in the Wood, the oddest pair of companions were just emerging from the tunnel system they used to go too and from their private sanctuary.

One was a painted skeksis wearing tattered desert clothes, carrying with him a staff with a symbol etched ring crowning it. He wore a headpiece with a push bell on top of it—an odd choice of attire for one of his kind, indeed.

Behind him lumbered a bulky creature that most sentient inhabitants of Thra had never laid eyes on. Known by only a very few as Mystics or urRu, this second being had a long, heavy tail dragging behind him in the sand, and a thick neck almost as long as that. His skin was dark gray and deeply grooved with whorls and patterns, and a shaggy mane covered his neck. He too had a staff, but his was more necessary for mobility than for show.

"Hurry up!" groused the skeksis, tapping a taloned foot impatiently.

"I..._am_...hurrying," insisted the mystic in a long-suffering tone.

SkekGra looked up at the sky to gauge the position of the suns. He then sighed and shot an annoyed glare at his counterpart.

"At this rate, we'll see the beginning of the next Great Conjunction before we make it to our destination! Mother Aughra's age will catch up with her and we'll find nothing but a pile of dust and horns, so move it!"

UrGoh looked at his companion's upright posture with a hint of envy. "Easy...to...rush...when you...have...less...bulk."

SkekGra threw up his hands. "Just move as fast as you can, then."

"We have...time," reminded UrGoh. "Almost..fifty...trine."

"Yes, yes, but Gelfling _don't_ have time. If things continue as they are, there won't be any left in fifty trine. Then where will we be? No Gelfling, no reunion. No reunion, no end to this existence we suffer! So get a move on!"

"How...can we...be sure our...plan...will work?" While he talked, the mystic gamely tried to keep up with his other half.

SkekGra shrugged. "The other weapon we provided did. Sort of. They found the shard, at least. This design could ensure a better survival rate for them, at the very least. We need at least _one_ of them to jam that shard home if we're to get our wish. Hmm...maybe we could adopt one of them and raise it until the day arrives, just to be sure."

"Don't...be...ridiculous."

The skeksis shrugged again. "It was merely a thought."

What a ridiculous notion it was though; a skeksis and a mystic trying to parent a gelfling babe together. The pair trudged on, slowly but steadily making their way East.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I have no preview summary of the next chapter to share this time because I haven't decided on the sequence of events to come yet. I hope you enjoyed this update!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naia, Gurjin and Kylan come across a terrible discovery. Seladon bonds further with her now extended family. A picnic between three close friends gets rudely interrupted by grim visions of the present. Hup once again proves to be the best little potato ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait. I ask readers to be patient with me, as I'm now working a job with rather unpredictable hours and I find myself working on days I was meant to have off, therefore I don't have as much free time to write. I know I was posting chapters nearly every day before, but now it may take a week or more between them.

They didn't get to leave for the farm on the day they had planned to. More reports of bat spottings were coming in from various locations, mostly around the Dark Wood. Seladon had to speak with the council on the matter and assure them that she had gelfling looking into it. She then assigned the Librarian as her delegate for the two days she planned on being away from the citadel.

Vaurin cautioned his mother not to be too intensive when they arrived at the farm and told her they had news. Jeni looked between husband and wife with raised brows, and then she stared at Seladon with suspiciously narrowed eyes.

"Uh-oh," muttered Vaurin, bracing himself.

Seladon looked at him questioningly, but he didn't get the chance to warn her. His mother closed the distance between herself and his wife, stared into Seladon's eyes and then looked her up and down. Jeni then placed a hand on Seladon's bodice—over her belly—and stared the All Maudra in the face again.

"Oh, praise the winds and the sea," gasped Jeni, "blessed be the Vapra and the Sifa! You are with child!"

Clearly startled by the older female's announcement, Seladon stammered a bit. "I...w-well yes, but...how do you know? It's been only a few days, and we didn't confirm it until very recently ourselves!"

"I'm Sifa, remember?" Jeni winked at her. "There's a reason some folk around here call me a sea witch. Now, come inside and get comfortable by the hearth. Vaurin, go holler to your brother to help you with your things. He's in the nebrie paddock collecting milk."

"But—"

"You and your 'buts'," chided his mother with a shake of her finger. She made to swat him on the bottom, and he hastily jumped away. "Go on, boy. I'll get your lady settled in, and when you and your brother are finished we'll sit down to a hot meal and discuss this miracle."

Sighing like a scolded childing, Vaurin nodded and turned to do his mother's bidding. He didn't think he used the word "but" that often, but apparently both his mother and his wife had a different impression.

* * *

Naia, Gurjin and Kylan guided their mounts slowly through the wrecked village between Sami Thicket and The Great Smerth. They had stopped by Kylan's home town to deliver the warning to Maudra Mera and the Spriton. After resting up overnight, they'd pressed on to the Drenchen lands and on the way there, they passed through this small settlement on the outskirts. They had intended to rest the animals and have lunch before moving on.

So much for that plan. The three of them looked around at the ruins of what had once been a quaint little village inhabited by a mix of Spriton and Drenchen commoners. The huts and structures were in varying states of destruction. Some were burning. Others were bashed in as if by an angry child taking it out on some flimsy paper toy.

"What happened here?" Naia wondered aloud. She was on edge, she admitted. Her ears were perked and the gills on the sides of her neck flared a bit as her instincts told her to take to the safety of water.

"I think it's obvious," stated her brother grimly. "Rek'yr's warning came a bit too late."

"I wonder if it was meant as a warning to prevent this," mused Kylan. He'd strung his bow and he held it as he rode, having an arrow ready to be nocked. "Perhaps the vision Rek'yr shared with us was showing him things that had already happened. Thra might have sent it to him so that others would know about it and take heed."

They paused in the center of the village, and Naia dismounted her land strider. She crouched a bit, alert and on edge. "Let's have a look around. See if anyone's still here and gather clues. We shouldn't jump to conclusions until we know more."

"What else could have done this?" Reasoned Gurjin, also dismounting. "Gelfling clans are at peace with each other, especially now. Even if we weren't, they would have said something in Sami Thicket and there would be no sense in either of our clans attacking neutral territory."

"I don't know what else could have done it," Naia snapped. "But we need to get information regardless of how likely we feel Rek'yr's prediction to be true. Come on, I don't like the smell of this place. It reeks of death."

"Agreed," said Kylan. "We should split up and investigate, but stay within shouting distance of each other if anyone should spot danger or find anything significant."

With that plan drawn out, the trio went their separate ways to search for clues. Naia went to the southwest part of the village, while her twin and Kylan went north and east, respectively. It didn't take long for Naia to spot tracks and signs of a struggle. There were both gelfling tracks and some unidentifiable ones in the mud. She also found signs that someone had been dragged by something larger and heavier.

She checked inside one of the huts, calling out in case anyone in there was hiding. When there was no answer, she stepped through the threshold. The door was smashed to bits, splintered by a heavy blow from the outside. Within the hut, there were scattered remnants of someone's breakfast. The hearth still burned. There were overturned stools by a rickety table, and when she stepped in a pool of liquid and saw the pink tinge, she squatted to collect some on her finger. She sniffed at it and frowned.

Blood. Gelfling blood.

Naia started to get back to her feet, but then she caught a glimpse of something that made her stomach twist. At first her brain refused to believe what her eyes were seeing, but then chill reality set in and she was forced to rely on survival instincts to disassociate herself with emotions.

Fingers. There were two severed gelfling fingers on the floor, and they weren't even adult sized. They had belonged to a childling. Naia looked away and shut her eyes taking a deep breath. Whatever had done this was a thing of pure evil, and she thought of the creatures described by Rek'yr and suppressed a shudder. The more she investigated, the more likely the possibility that they really existed.

She heard her brother call out from the center of the village, and Naia got up with a sigh. Brushing her hands off on her pants as if she could wipe away the unwholesome taint she felt all around her, she exited the hut and went to join him. Kylan was there too. Gurjin was grim-faced and Kylan bore a solemn, regretful expression on his light brown features.

"What have you found?"

"I checked some of the burning dwellings," answered Gurjin. "It doesn't look like they were lit up deliberately. Two of them were started by burning logs and embers from the hearth. Looked like they were trying to cook breakfast. Another one caught fire because of a torch that landed near it on the outside. I found...an arm attached to it."

"An arm?" repeated Naia, thinking of the severed fingers she'd just seen herself.

Gurjin nodded, his jaw tightening. "Yes. Something attacked this place. If you ask me, I'd say whoever was holding that torch was trying to drive off a threat with it."

Naia shivered, and she looked to Kylan. "What about you?"

"Bodies," sighed the Spriton male, lowering his gaze in respect for the dead. "Three of them. Two males and a female, just outside the edge of the village. One seemed to have bled out from a nasty gash in his torso. The other male had no head, and the female...she was in two halves. Like something snapped her in two."

Naia closed her eyes briefly, swallowing the bile rising in the back of her throat. When she felt she could speak again, she issued a suggestion. "All right, I think it's fair to say that someone or some_thing_ powerful attacked this village. If the Dousan's story about his vision is true, then it would explain the strange tracks I found while investigating. I too found body parts...from a child."

Both males grimaced, and Gurjin's expression darkened. "Anything that would harm a little childling is evil, no question about it. If we find who's responsible—"

"We should continue searching around," interrupted Kylan, holding a fairly steady tone even though he looked about to weep. "There could be survivors hidden away."

Naia nodded with agreement. "And the remains we've found so far don't account for even a fourth of this village's population, I'll wager. That begs the question of what happened to the rest of them. Carried off by the looks of it, but to where, and for what purpose? We definitely need to commit to as full an investigation as possible before the hour grows too late. We need to leave before suns down and make it to the Great Smerth with news of our discovery."

"Good plan," approved Gurjin.

"Agreed," said Kylan.

* * *

They found only one more body in their search, and not one soul survivor hidden away. Some windows with glass panes were smashed, walls of several structures were bashed in by some unknown, enormous force. Doors were broken off their hinges, furniture lying in pieces everywhere and all signs suggested that the attack had happened early in the morning. The residents of the village had probably woken up thinking it would be an ordinary day, discussing what to have for breakfast before beginning the day's work and activities.

It was a morbid and sorrowful affair. All three gelfling called out as they searched, hoping to hear someone, anyone answer them. They searched as thoroughly as they could before finally retreating to their mounts.

"Maybe they got eaten," Gurjin mused after they mounted their land striders and the silence stretched on between the trio. "It could explain why no other bodies were found."

"But why eat everyone except those few we discovered?" reasoned Naia. "Unless whatever did this gorged so much it or they couldn't finish—"

"Shh," Kylan warned abruptly, ears perked. His mount snorted and stomped the ground restlessly, and he patted her on the shoulder. "Easy girl. I smell something. I think the land striders do as well. What about you two?"

"I smell blood and decay sure enough," Naia answered with a frowning look around. Her land strider blurted a sound between a shriek and a bellow, and the Drenchen female hastily grabbed on tight to bring the animal back under control. "Hey, settle down! What's gotten into you?"

"Uh...Naia?"

She was so busy trying not to lose her seat on her mount that she didn't hear the clacking sound approaching from the woods. "Not now, brother. This beast is spooked by something."

"They all are, and I know why! Look!"

Naia looked up at Kylan's exclamation, and she followed his pointing finger with her eyes. At first, it looked like the very forest was moving, black and twisted shapes rising up from the fog and ambling out of the woodland growth toward them. What she first thought were some sort of glowing insects were actually beady eyes lit up with a purple luminance. As the movement came out of the shadows and into the light, the three gelfling got their first look at what could only be the creatures Rek'yr and Vaurin both tried to describe.

"I think we can safely say," remarked Kylan, "that Rek'yr's vision wasn't just a result of eating one too many urdrupe berries."

Naia heard the snapping of twigs and undergrowth from another part of the woods, and she spotted two more sets of glowing eyes. She could barely keep her land strider under control, and the others were fairing little better. Three from the west and two more slightly south of those, the creatures came out of the forest with obvious intent, seeming fixated on the trio of bewildered gelfling.

The shambling creatures were indeed things of nightmares; even more intimidating than Arathim or Skeksis, as far as Naia was concerned. Their bulk crashed through the undergrowth, and though they looked clumsy, they were barreling towards the gelfling with single-minded purpose, their gigantic black pincers waving and snapping urgently, as if reaching for their quarry with grasping hands. There was blood crusted on some of those pincers. Gelfling blood.

"Ah, sis," Gurjin called, struggling to keep his mount from bucking him off as it reared back for a second on its hind legs, "I'm all for avenging these villagers, but we may be over our heads."

"They're ignoring everything in their path," Kylan called out, "crashing right through it! I don't think the three of us have much of a chance if an entire village couldn't fend them off!"

There was no denying that logic. The unfortunate residents of the village were mostly hunters, gatherers and traders, but even without trained warriors in their ranks, they hadn't been helpless. They had put up a fight. There were broken blades, arrow shafts and even kitchen knives scattered amongst the wreckage.

If the lot of them couldn't stop these beasts, then there was no way three gelfling alone could do it. Naia got the feeling that the only reason the monsters were hesitated was because of the land striders. For whatever reason, the creatures paused and stood there clicking their claws in agitation. Perhaps the sheer height of the land striders made them unsure of advancing.

Kylan pointed out another observation when he nearly lost control of his mount for the second time. "Our land striders are the only advantage we have! The way those creatures are plowing through everything in their way, our only hope is to outrun them."

"If we lose the land striders," agreed Gurjin, "we may as well be gelfling soup."

"Then let's ride with all haste," suggested Naia. "Make for the plains, where the land striders can run at top speed!"

"We should head straight for the Smerth," Gurjin suggested.

"No, that would just lead them to our people," Naia decided. "We'll lead them on a chase and once they fall far enough behind to be out of sight, we'll change course. I don't want to see this disaster repeated at home."

"Right," hollered Kylan. "Let's not linger any longer, then."

* * *

"I still can't believe you're going to be a father," Jermid whispered to his brother as they watched from the dining table while their mother and Seladon talked maternity and baby plans. "And to think, you're doing it all with the All Maudra!"

Vaurin grinned a little, and he sipped from his cup of honey mead, nodding once. His eyes remained fixated on his wife. Such a lovely vision she made, seated there across from his mother near the hearth, with the warm flicker of the fire highlighting her features and hair.

"Wrong," Vaurin said after swallowing. "I'm doing it all with my wife. Her title isn't what drew me to her, you know."

"Well sure." The younger male shrugged. "I'm sure there's a lot more to her than that, but bollocks if I can figure out how you managed to get past her station to win a lady like that. You never did tell me."

Vaurin glanced sidelong at his brother, and then he looked at Seladon again and swirled the thick amber liquid around in his wooden cup. "I wouldn't tell her my name."

Jermid's face screwed up, and he loosened the tie binding his long hair back in a ponytail, letting his hair fall free. He combed his fingers through it briefly before having a sip of his own drink as well. "You're full of dung, brother. I don't believe you actually got a girl like that by playing hard to get."

Vaurin chuckled a little, under his breath. He had another sip of mead and he looked at his brother straight on. "I kissed her long before she even asked my name. Not exactly what I would call 'playing hard to get'."

Jermid blinked, his young, slightly freckled face screwing up. "So you stole a kiss and then decided telling her your name wouldn't be appropriate? I thought exchanging names was the first step to a courtship. You did it all backwards!"

Vaurin almost choked on his mead, and he hastily set the cup down on the table and wiped at his lips. "It's complicated, squirt. If you want to know the honest truth..."

Vaurin looked at Seladon again, and his heart seemed to swell in his breast when he saw her lay a hand protectively over her belly while listening to something his mother said. "I don't really know what I did right. I took a chance. I got tired of being the silent protector and decided that in the times we're living in now, there was no good reason for me not to make a move. By Thra's grace, my gamble paid off."

Vaurin turned to his brother again and smiled at him. "I wake up every day grateful to have such a woman in my life. I hope you have that for yourself some day, brother."

"Hmph. Not unless you can bestow some of your charm on me. You've always had a way with the ladies. They like your face, your hair and your voice."

"You've got very similar traits," Vaurin pointed out. "It's obvious we're siblings to anyone that sees us together. It isn't just about looks."

"I know that. It's just...you seem to know what to do around them. How to talk to them. I always get tongue-tied and clutzy. One little smile or wink from you and the girls melt. I can barely be near one without blushing."

Vaurin huffed, and he finished off his mead. He poured another cup for himself from the pitcher. "You think I was any different? It took time for me to figure out how to approach the ladies without soiling myself. I was just as scared and nervous as you are about interacting with them."

"So how did you figure out what to do?" pressed Jermid.

Vaurin considered the question, looked at his lovely wife again and then shrugged, keeping his gaze on Seladon. "Mostly, I improvised. You wing it. Even if you lack confidence, act like you do. Pay attention to their responses and take social cues from them. You and me got our charm from Mother, and our wits from Father. You're a smart boy, Jermid. It's rather like employing a strategy. Moving pieces across a game board or deciding where to toss a stone. You watch, you listen and make your move based on the situation. It takes practice, but you can figure it out if you try."

Jermid listened with rapt attention. "So you play it by ear. Is that how you won Lady Seladorn?"

"Hmph. I told you, I'm not really sure which part of our courtship actually won her over. But yes, that's the gist of it."

Vaurin sat back in his chair and crossed an ankle over his knee. "I'll tell you one thing the females like for sure, brother, and that's honesty."

"Even if they ask if a dress looks good on them but it clearly doesn't?"

Vaurin chuckled. "Well, honesty to a certain point. You can be honest without hurting feelings, in matters like that."

"Okay. How?"

The older sibling checked a sigh. "For starters, never tell a girl an outfit makes her look bloated. If you think the colors are ugly on her, don't use the word 'ugly'. Say for example my lady tries on a new gown. She's unsure about it, and I think it's the color of vomit. I would tell her—quite truthfully—that the only thing making that dress look nice is _her_. I would suggest a color I think would suit her better. Always be sure you're critical of the clothing, not the woman wearing it. I think Seladon would look beautiful in a potato sack, but I prefer her in clothes that do justice to her beauty."

Jermid stared at him, glanced at the All Maudra and then sighed. "Wow. See, this is what I mean. You just know what to say. You can talk like a poet."

"That's really just honesty," Vaurin said with a shrug. "Ladies don't like it if you spend all of your time flattering them. It's nice enough at first, but after a while it lends the impression that you're fake. They start to feel like you're playing them for a fool to get what you want, so pick your moments and don't lay it on too thick. If you think they look pretty, tell them so. Don't just spout it off at every available moment. I've learned the ladies get bored with that. It makes us look needy, and that isn't attractive to a lot of them."

"I should be writing this all down," sighed Jermid. "So be honest, but moderate?"

Vaurin nodded and ruffled his brother's hair affectionately. "That's it. Mind you it isn't a magical guarantee that girls will fall at your feet. Some simply won't be attracted to you and you can't change that. Don't get discouraged; there's someone out there for you."

"Sometimes I think it would be easier to set my sights on other males, instead."

Vaurin tilted his head thoughtfully. Plenty of gelfling preferred their own gender, so he wasn't particularly alarmed by the statement. He just never considered his brother might be one of them. "Are you drawn to other males, Jermid? You know you don't have to court the girls just for appearance sake."

"No," admitted the younger male with a shrug. "I don't feel a thing when I look at other boys. I just thought it would simplify things if I could learn to like males, because then I'd be on equal ground."

Vaurin laughed and shook his head. "Is that what you think? If only Princess Tavra were here to tell you her experiences on that matter."

Jermid blinked. "The princess? She was...uh..."

"She had another woman as a lover," confirmed Vaurin softly, mindful not to let his voice carry. He didn't want his wife to overhear him talking about his deceased sister's personal life, thought she might take offense. "She used to confide in me now and then. I suppose because I was generally quiet and kept to myself, she thought I made a good listening ear. She spoke to me in confidence, so I can't give you details, but I assure you that having the same parts doesn't make a relationship devoid of issues."

"Oh? I thought having gender in common would make a couple more sympathetic to each other."

"What makes a couple sympathetic to each other," countered Vaurin, "is patience, devotion and understanding. A desire to be with each other that surpasses whatever arguments or hardships that might come along. I think Mother and Father would have split up long ago if it weren't for the deep love they shared. You remember some of the quarrels they used to have, I'm sure."

"Ugh, don't I ever. Mum threw crockery at his head once while you were out in the fields, and I thought it was going to come to blows."

"Hmm. What happened?"

Jermid smirked, sighed and shook his head. "It didn't go that far. Dad said she needed to improve her aim after he ducked and the pot smashed against the wall. They just stared at each other for a minute, and next thing I knew, they were laughing."

"Heh. That sounds like them."

Seladon hugged their mother and got up from her seat, stretching and covering up a yawn. She approached the table and the brothers went quiet. Vaurin set his drink down and stood up, reaching for her hands with a smile. She gave them to him and he lifted one to his lips to kiss the top of it.

"I see you still have ears," he murmured.

"Beg pardon?"

"Mother didn't talk them off," he explained with a smile.

Seladon unconsciously retracted her other hand from his to reach up and touch one of her ears, and she smirked. "Not quite, no. I think I'm ready for bed, though."

He nodded. "Of course. It's been a long day, and you need plenty of rest." He looked to his brother. "Jermid, finish my mead if you like. I think I've had enough for tonight."

"All right. Sleep well, you two."

"You should retire to our room and get ready for bed," Vaurin suggested to Seladon, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm going to say goodnight to Mum and I'll be there shortly."

"Very well, darling. Don't take too long."

He smiled again. 'Darling' was a fairly new term of endearment that he'd started using with her first. Apparently Seladon found it to her liking and was now falling into the habit of using it herself. "Not long at all," he promised.

He watched her go down the hall leading to the bedrooms. The third one had been an addition built into the house after Vaurin reached his teenaged years. His father had decided he was old enough to have a room of his own, rather than share with his brother, and he commissioned his friends to help expand their home to accommodate that. Now it almost seemed a waste, but it did provide a guest bedroom for him and his wife when they visited.

Vaurin joined his mother by the fire, sitting in the same chair his wife had recently occupied across from Jeni. "Well?"

Jeni lowered her mug of tea and raised a brow at him. "Well what, son?"

"You did a reading for her," he answered. "Did you see anything? Is she going to have a healthy pregnancy and birth?"

Jeni sipped her tea, and she gazed into the flames of the fireplace. "I saw a great many things. Your wife has a strong aura of destiny about her. If it were any other man but you she was partnered with, I'd worry they wouldn't have the strength to endure."

Vaurin gave her a faintly exasperated look. "Thank you, I guess. I already knew I was in for a wild ride when I began courting Seladon, and not just because she's the All Maudra. That doesn't really answer my question, though. What did you see? Any specifics you could share with me?"

His mother stared at him quietly for a moment, seeming to pull her thoughts together. "You'll be blessed with a healthy daughter, son. That much, I know for certain. It will come with a price, though. I saw creatures black as night, gigantic and misshapen. I saw the skies darken with ragged wings, the cries of birthing agony and dark, frothy waters. I saw Lady Seladon commanding an army with you at her side, but..."

Jeni trailed off, clearly troubled. Her eyes went to the fire again, and she frowned.

"What is it?" pressed Vaurin. "Does something happen to our daughter?"

His mother looked at him again, shook her head and lowered her gaze to the cup in her hands. "No. I saw no grim tidings for the childling. In that last part of the vision, what I saw was you...but _not_ you."

He frowned. "I don't understand."

"Blind eyes," she whispered, and then she shook her head. "It was vague, son. Vague and very brief. I can't even be sure it was a true portent or just a possibility. Pay it no mind."

"Well, that was a darker reading of the future than I'd hoped for. How am I supposed to pay it no mind when you spout off such grim tidings?"

"You know that I lack the clarity of a true soothsayer. My predictions can only go so far, and sometimes a mother's anxiety for her sons' futures can cloud things a bit."

"What anxiety? Jermid and I are both healthy, I'm happier than I've ever been in my life and I'm going to be giving you your first grandchild."

"Yes, and that's all wonderful," she agreed, "but we are at war, Vaurin. Perhaps when your daughter comes into this world, you'll understand better, the worries a parent faces in such troubled times."

Vaurin's gaze softened on her, and he gave a nod of understanding. "I see. Forgive me, mother. I didn't think of it from that perspective. So personal feelings really can interfere with prophetic readings?"

"They can, and that's why I don't want you to take it all too seriously. Focus on the happy part. The one thing that wasn't vague to me was that your daughter will be born healthy."

He relaxed, but then he tensed again as he thought of his wife. She hadn't seemed distressed at all, but she was a surprising woman on all accounts, even now. "Did you tell all of this to Seladon?"

"Most of it, yes. I told her that so long as she takes care of herself and prepares for the birth, the baby will make it into the world safely. I also told her about the darker portents, warned her that she had more struggles ahead of her."

Jeni smiled thoughtfully, and she gave a nod of approval. "She's a strong lady, your Seladon. Couldn't have asked for a better mate for the likes of such a determined, iron-willed lad like you. She took it in stride, like it was just another day to her."

"Did she?" he smiled. "What did she say to all this, exactly?"

"She said she'd faced enough hardship and struggle to know how to get through it, and she said that come what may, she would do what she must to protect her family and all Gelfling. I believed her with my whole heart, too."

"So do I," vowed the paladin. "I've seen her strength of resolve with my own eyes. She's become a fine All Maudra, even if she still has trouble believing that herself."

He got up, and then he bent over to kiss his mother on the cheek. "Thank you, Mother. I should retire with my lady now."

"Of course, dearest. Rouse your brother on the way to your room, would you?"

"Eh?" Vaurin looked toward the kitchen and dining area, and he chuckled when he saw Jermid face-planted on the table, his drinking cup still held loosely in hand. "Looks like I may have to carry him. I shouldn't have told him to finish the rest of mine."

Vaurin started for his brother, but his mother grabbed his arm to stay him for a moment. "There was one more thing, lad. One phrase that kept popping into my head while I was reading for your lady. It's vague like most of it, but I feel like it's important."

"Oh? And what is that, Mother?"

Jeni bit her lower lip, and then she looked up at him with a curious expression on her face. "Hope comes in many forms. That's what kept whispering at the edge of my consciousness, and I saw a face. Matted hair, pale green skin, big dark eyes. Grottan, I think? Something to do with trees and root networks too. Does that mean anything to you?"

He knew immediately who his mother must have seen in her vision. "There _was_ a Grottan girl in our ranks during the battle for Stone in the Wood. She saved a lot of lives with her actions, though I can't explain exactly how she managed what she did. She turned the Emperor's Darkening attack back on him, preventing it from killing Thra knows how many gelfling. She may be the one you're talking about."

"Where is she?" asked Jeni. "I would very much like to meet this girl. I seem to recall you mentioning her before."

"Her name was Deet."

"Was?"

Vaurin sighed. "Honestly Mother, we don't know where she is or even whether she still lives or not. When she was last seen, she appeared infected by the Darkening, and she vanished into the woods. Rian—who's now Prince of the Stonewood, as we've told you—was the last gelfling to see her alive."

"Oh, I think that one's alive," stated Jeni. "Powerful aura, too. I almost felt like she was trying to send me a message while I was doing your wife's reading."

He had his doubts, but he'd learned never to question his mother's gut feelings. "Perhaps. Let's hope that you're right. We could certainly use her talents in the conflicts that are sure to come."

His mood darkened as he thought of the creature he'd seen through the eyes of the Arathim during their meld; the beast that had murdered his father. "Mother, do me a favor."

"What's that, son?"

"If you should ever see any signs of another of those things that killed father anywhere near our lands, don't hesitate to take Jermid and run. Warn the neighbors, flee to the capital and report it immediately to the paladins. Whether Seladon and I are there or not, they know you're my family and they'll give you safe haven while they investigate."

"Well of course, Vaurin. I wouldn't let such a thing go un-reported."

"Yes, but I get my stubborn streak from you, and I fear you'll try to save the farm. Don't. Do not worry about the animals or the crops, especially if you see one of those monsters in the flesh. They're after only one thing, according to the information we have, and that's _us_."

She searched his face for a moment, and then she nodded slowly. "Those bats you've described, the crustacean monsters, the Skeksis. It's all tied together, isn't it?"

"We believe so," he answered. "Just promise me, Mum."

Jeni nodded. "I promise. Now I think we've had enough talk of doom and gloom. You should go and bed down with your lady, get some rest. We'll talk more in the morning, my boy."

"All right. Good night, Mother. We'll uh...be respectful under your roof and conduct ourselves appropriately."

She gave him a perplexed look, and then she laughed. "Oh, you silly childling. You're mated to her, Vaurin. Nothing 'inappropriate' about you two conducting yourselves as a wife and husband ought to, and your brother's three sheets to the wind, so he won't hear anything you might get up to. Now get him to bed, and then go and be a proper husband to your lady. Better make the All Maudra satisfied, after all."

"Ahem, well..." he blushed and dropped his gaze. "Hearing you talk like that is disturbing, to say the least."

"Please spare me the innocent act. You got her pregnant somehow and I've had my rolls in the hay with your father. You won't offend my sensibilities by doing what's natural. Never think you can't while you're staying here, boy. I'd be more offended if you didn't feel comfortable enough to be yourselves around me."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, still blushing. "Let's not discuss this again, please. Your approval is noted and it's enough for me."

"Go on, then."

"Yes Mother."

* * *

Seladon had just changed into her nightgown, and she was flipping through the blank pages of the leather and cord bound book that Jeni had given her. She combed her fingers through her hair, having loosened the braided locks and brushed them out. Two candles flickered in globular holders on the bedside tables, providing a soft orange glow to offset the light of the moons shining through the window.

She heard the door open, and she turned to see her husband step into the room. He closed the door behind him, and then he looked at her and froze in place. Seladon tilted her head at his abrupt hesitation, and she wondered if she had something on her face.

"Is there something the matter?"

His eyes grazed over her form, and he shook his head, smiling a little. "Not at all, my lady. I'm just admiring the way you look in the moon and candlelight. The sheerness of that gown is especially rewarding to my eyes. You look...ethereal."

A girlish impulse to giggle arose in her, but Seladon was used to her handsome paladin inspiring such juvenile responses from her. She flushed, glancing down at herself. "I hadn't realized it was so . I'll be sure to put on a robe if I set foot outside the room while wearing it."

"What makes you think you'll be setting foot outside this room until morning?" His eyes were intense with lust, even though he smiled at her. "At least while I'm here."

Seladon smirked, and she looked down at the book in her hands. As tired as she felt, her pulse had quickened in response to his suggestive comment. "And how do you intend to stop me, sir?"

Vaurin turned briefly to drop the locking bar down on the door, and then he strode toward her purposely. Seladon watched him with rising excitement and a tiny flutter of intimidation. His face was unreadable, but that amber gaze of his glittered in the candle and moonlight with a subtly predatory intent.

The All Maudra found herself backing up a step as her husband closed the distance between them. He stopped inches away, and he reached out to caress her cheek with a tenderness that belied the sharp hunger in his eyes.

"So lovely," he said, and then his fingers danced along her skin to her jaw, and he closed in to kiss her. It started out gentle and loving, but as soon as she put her arms around his neck and kissed him back, it got more intense.

The question of how he intended to keep her in the room was answered swiftly. Vaurin's tongue began to do those things in her mouth that always made Seladon weak in the knees and breathless. His hands glided down over her shoulders and arms, settled on her waist for a moment and then curved around behind to cup her backside.

"Mmm, this pristine little fanny," he whispered, breaking the kiss to speak against her lips. "I swear it's the roundest, tightest, most glorious—"

"You've made your point," Seladon interrupted, fighting amusement. Her husband did try his best to avoid using common slang and vulgarities around her, or anyone else in the citadel. He strove to conduct himself honorably and as a gentleman, but once in a while he slipped and Seladon learned new and colorful phrases as a result.

"Fanny," she muttered to herself, finding the word quite whimsical and funny. "What an odd word to use for someone's buttocks."

"You don't think 'buttocks' is a funny sounding word?" He grinned, and he started to kiss her throat.

Seladon tilted her head back and turned it to the side, baring her neck for him unconsciously and closing her eyes. She stroked his hair, tingles racing through her body as those soft, insistent lips caressed, sucked and nuzzled her. She was quickly losing her train of thought.

"I never...really thought of it before. I suppose it would sound funny if I'd heard it for the first time."

"Doesn't matter what you call it," he said, his voice muffled against her throat. "It's glorious to me, all the same."

"Well, it must be if the way you're squeezing it is any...oh!"

He'd lifted her against him, and she felt how hard he was against her pelvis. Seladon felt herself being carried, and she started to wrap her legs around him only to realize that her gown restricted the movement. The next thing she knew, the soft bed was beneath her and her husband's weight was on top of her. Vaurin's mouth crushed against hers urgently, and he reached down with one hand to tug her gown up, baring her legs up to the thigh.

"Aren't you the scoundrel," breathed Seladon, surprised but not reluctant in the least. Vaurin was usually respectful with her, giving her control of their encounters. When he was like this, so passionate and a bit forceful, it gave Seladon a thrill that she never would have expected.

"You make me sound like a pirate trying to plunder you." Vaurin lifted up, and he gazed down at her with a dashing little smirk. "Then again, I suppose that's not far from the truth. I'm half Sifa, after all. I have a beautiful woman in my bed. How could I possibly be expected to behave?"

"Are you going to get your ears pierced like some of the Sifan sailors do?" Seladon reached up to trace one of his ears, smiling as it laid back a little and his eyes lost focus in pleasure. "Perhaps some hoops? I actually think the look would be quite fetching on you, truthfully."

"You want me to pierce my ears?"

Thinking of how sensitive said ears were, Seladon stroked them both between her fingers. "No, not unless it pleases you to do it. I wouldn't want you to cause pain to yourself for the sake of my girlish fantasies."

"Hmm. It pleases me," he kissed her softly on the lips, "to please you, my lady. The pain from having them pierced would be swift and temporary. Giving you a thrill every day is more permanent. I'd say that makes it worth it."

The idea intrigued her, Seladon had to admit. As if her husband weren't already dashing enough, the addition of roguish ear hoops might threaten to give her the vapors. He started kissing her again, grinding between her thighs and demonstrating once more how hard he was. Seladon forgot about the conversation as his tongue played in her mouth again, and she began to undulate beneath him restlessly. Her hands splayed over his chest and traveled down, her breath coming in quick, short pants with rising passion.

Vaurin abruptly broke the kiss and went still, groaning and resting his forehead against hers.

"Thra, I really _am_ a scoundrel," he gasped.

Bewildered by the sudden halt of promising interactions, Seladon caught her breath and embraced him, desperate now to keep him from withdrawing. "What do you mean? Why did you stop?"

He lifted his head to gaze down at her, his amber stare troubled but still lusty. "You're expecting, and here I am trying to rut over you like some beast. I should treat my wife with more courtesy and stop thinking with the prick."

She blinked rapidly, thrown off by yet another crude slang term she hadn't heard before. "The...prick?"

Vaurin visibly winced and grimaced, and his cheeks darkened with a blush. "Ah, that's a term for my...um...aroused part. Sorry. I've done it again."

Again, Seladon was amused. "Well, it's a fitting word for it when you think on it. In a way you do 'prick' me with it when we're intimate."

"I'd like to think it's more enduring than a quick poke," he responded with an embarrassed little chuckle.

"Oh, always," she assured him, running her hands down his back before cupping his bottom. She pressed against the bulge of his arousal deliberately, smirking at the swiftly indrawn breath he took in response. "If I were to liken it to something else, I would say it's more like the pounding of waves against the rocks. Relentless, powerful and—"

"Stop, I beg you," he rasped, a shudder of lust rippling through him to the point where Seladon could feel his body tremble from it. "You're working me up even more, my love."

"Vaurin, we needn't stop lying together intimately because I'm pregnant. We haven't joined since the morning we discovered it. While your devoted attentions with your mouth and hands have been more than appreciated, I miss the rest."

She reached boldly down with one hand, slipping it between the press of their bodies to palm the swell of his bulge. "I want to feel you inside of me. Of course if you're worried about doing it under your mother's roof, I'll understand."

He shook his head, breath catching in his throat. "No...not anymore, at least. Mother already told me she would find no offense in the two of us being intimate during our stay. Encouraged it, even. I just don't want to get rough with you and hurt the baby. I thought you would welcome the reprieve from being pounded into."

That made Seladon chuckle and roll her eyes. "You think that your lovemaking is some sort of punishment? That I don't enjoy every second of it? You silly paladin."

"While I can sense your pleasure when we join, I'll never truly know what it feels like for you," he explained. "I know it can cause pain if I get careless, and I want to spare you that."

"You have never hurt me," assured Seladon. She rubbed and squeezed his package, making him groan. "As I said; you can work magic with that mouth and tongue of yours, but I feel the most fulfilled when your hardness is inside of me, filling me up deep and throbbing. When you give me your seed I can feel the warmth of it, and the experience is more gratifying to me than I can express."

He bowed his head, shuddering again. She could tell he was at the edge of control now, and she had but to give him one little push to send him over it. Seladon knew exactly how to achieve that.

"We have only so much time to enjoy these couplings before my condition makes it necessary to abstain until the baby comes. I want to take advantage of that time as much as we can, before that happens. Give yourself to me, husband. Don't hold back."

"Seladon," he gasped, and then he was kissing her urgently again, tugging her gown further up to expose her from the waist down.

Seladon's actions were just as needy, her fingers working desperately to get his breeches open. Their desire consumed them both and the couple didn't even get fully undressed. As soon as Vaurin's pants were yanked down past his hips, he was inside of her. Both gelfling tried to keep their voices down as they coupled, but it was a losing battle for a pair so much in love and in the throes of passion.

Seladon could only pray the walls of the house were thick.

* * *

The trio of friends rode hard after losing their pursuit, until they made it to the Great Smerth. Though the land striders had been doing all of the running, it took no small amount of muscle control and skill for their riders to synchronize their motions with the land striders so as to ride smoothly and avoid falling off.

They didn't bother to stop and greet anyone. They went straight through town to the Council Hall, and Naia called out to the guards to fetch Maudra Laesid at once, explaining that they had an important message and ill tidings to impart.

"I have never been," gasped Naia as she climbed down her land strider's leg, "more grateful to these beasts for carrying us."

"Yes, three cheers for the land striders," groaned her twin, also dismounting and putting a hand against the small of his aching back. "Although my bum is killing me right now."

"As is mine," grunted Kylan, coming to a clumsy landing from his climb down. He looked around, familiar with his surroundings due to his many visits there. "We still have the scroll, don't we?"

Naia unbuckled the case strapped to her back, and she opened it up to check. "Yes, it's...oh, here comes the Mother now."

Indeed, Laesid could be seen hobbling out of the council hall with one of her guards at her side. She took one look at the three of them and squared her jaw, motioning for them to come.

"Let's not waste time," she suggested in her usual no-nonsense manner. "I can see you three have a lot to say, and I'd rather not procrastinate. Come inside and tell me what this is all about."

Saddle-sore and weary, the trio nonetheless hurried along to reveal the information they had to the Maudra of the Drenchen...as well as the horrible news of the attack on the border village.

* * *

Rian, Hup and Deet sat together in the center of the thorn dome, talking about mundane things and snacking on an assortment of berries, nuts and cheese the former two had brought for this secret little picnic. Though she'd said she didn't require any gifts of food, Deet was happily munching away and thanking them both with puffed out cheeks.

"Mmm..dees bewwies unf fo goof!"

Rian was struggling not to laugh, while at the same time, utterly enthralled by her innocent enthusiasm. "I take that to mean the berries are good?"

Deet nodded. "Mmm-hmm!"

She took the time to finish chewing and swallowing before answering in a quietly abashed voice. "I'm sorry. I'm being so rude."

"Not a bit," assured Rian, exchanging a pleased grin with Hup. "We brought all of this just for you. Hup was the one to forage the berries, actually. He knew just what to look for."

Hup gave a bashful smile as Deet looked to him with wide, thankful eyes. He shrugged. "Hup watch Deet pick berries many times. Was easy."

She grinned, and she planted a quick kiss on the top of the podling's head. "Well thank you, Hup. You brought me just the thing."

To Rian's amusement, the podling got a bit flustered. "Eh...o-okay. Hup happy."

Were it not for Hup's insistence that he was all right with them as a couple, Rian would have felt terrible. As it was, the podling was steadfast in his loyalty, considered them both friends and never displayed any mean spirited jealousy for the connection Rian and Deet had.

"Rian chose nuts and cheese," Hup explained, further accentuating Rian's silent point on what an altruistic creature he was. The podling gestured at Rian. "He pick only best for Deet!"

"I'm sure he did," agreed the Grottan maiden, her deep, dark gaze meeting Rian's with a sweet little smile.

"Uh...er...well..." Rian got stuck in that moment, as was typical of him. Suddenly very self-conscious and aware that this was a group picnic, he didn't know quite how to respond without making Hup feel alienated. "It was...nothing."

Hup suddenly gave him a severely annoyed look. "Rian, you come here."

Rian blinked at the podling as Hup stood up and marched away. Hup turned back to give Deet an apologetic little bow. "Pardon, Lady Deet. Dis um...boy talk."

Deet's face screwed up just a bit, and then she shrugged. Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "All right, but I hope you don't expect me to stop eating while you have your talk."

"Not at all," assured Rian, wondering what in blazes Hup thought was so important that it had to interrupt this cherished, borrowed time with their companion. He got up with a mutter of complaint under his breath, and he followed Hup to the edge of the interior dome wall, far enough away from their lady companion to talk softly.

"All right, what is it?"

Hup abruptly stomped on Rian's foot.

"Ow! What was that for?" Rian hopped on his other foot, barely keeping his balance.

The podling puffed up a little, and he spoke in a harsh whisper. "Hup has to do everything for Rian. No be stupid!"

"Er...all right." Rian squatted down, casting a quick look back at Deet before addressing his unpredictable podling companion again. "What exactly are you wanting me to do, Hup? Sweep her off her feet? You know as well as I do that I can't just drag her out of this place."

Hup sighed and slapped himself on the forehead. He shook his head and then looked at Rian again. "Credit, ba foonah sheish meh fal!"

Rian's brow forked. "I'm sorry, but...what?"

"You." Hup pointed at him. He then pointed at himself, poking his own chest. "Me. I take credit for me. You take credit for you. Show Lady Deet...how much we...eh...Rian and Hup...love...bah!"

"You think I'm being too humble?" guessed Rian, sorting out the broken Gelfling Hup was attempting to speak.

"Mm-hmm! Ya! It not 'nothing' for Rian give best food. Food good...important! Deet love Rian. Rian love Deet. No fear Hup being in way, ya?"

Rian chuckled even as he sighed. "You really are determined. You only want your friends happy, don't you?"

Hup's expression softened, and he nodded with a little smile that was faintly sad. "Friends be family to Hup. Rian be family too."

Rian smiled, and he placed a gentle hand on Hup's shoulder. "I admit, I'm terribly shy with the ladies. I'm lucky to have you as my coach. Thank you, my friend."

Hup shrugged. "Meh. Hup not so good either. Face almost explode."

Rian stared at him, certain there had to be some sort of mistranslation in there. "Pardon—"

A scream from Deet clashed down on both males like thunder, snapping their attention away from one another and to her. She had dropped the handful of berries she'd been about to indulge in and she lay writhing on the ground clutching her head.

"Deet!"

It was hard to say who yelled her name first, or if they both did it at the same time. Both Rian and Hup charged for their stricken companion, their sweet Grottan maiden whom they both cared for so deeply.

Rian reached her first; only because his stride was greater than his smaller companion's. He took Deet up in his arms as he fell to his knees beside her, doing his best to still her thrashing lest she hurt herself.

"Deet! Deet, can you hear us?"

Her lovely, soulful eyes had gone from deepest liquid dark to a glowing, unwholesome purple. She spoke in an agonized voice, reaching up blindly towards the roof of the tangled dome they were under.

"It's...started again. R-Rian...they're draining us!"

As their hands clasped, Rian got stuck into an unexpected dreamfast with Deet. He saw gelfling tossed into holding cells by the claws of those dark, malevolent creatures he'd warned his folk about. He saw them being dragged from those cells to the draining chamber, strapped in by cackling Skeksis. He saw podlings moving in the background, but there was something terribly wrong about them.

White of hair, devoid expression and withered like husks of corn in a dry season, the gray-faced podlings moved with the clink of chains, staring at nothing with milky white eyes. They operated the machinery for the one-eyed scientist, and some sort of mirror apparatus rotated and swung as the Darkened Crystal was transferred far above.

"No," gasped Rian, ignorant of Hup's horrified face watching both him and Deet. "S-stop!"

The contact was broken, and both Rian and Deet fell splayed upon the earthen floor of the dome. Instinctively they reached for one another while Hup called out for them, ignorant of what they'd shared but desperate to know if they were all right.

Rian pulled Deet close as she sobbed, and he struggled not to sob along with her.

"I...have to keep going," Deet said, her quavering voice muffled against Rian's chest.

He stroked her hair, and then he kissed the crown of it. "I know. Your family...I'll personally bring them to—"

"No."

Deet shook her head, and she pulled away to look at him with tearful eyes. Her stare was back to normal; the deepest earthen dark and so gentle it pained him to look at it. "Rian, of all the gelfling on Thra, the Grottan are in the safest place right now. The Arathim are allies with us, sharing the caves and defenses. It's those on the surface that the Skeksis are targeting first; we Grottan are practically just an afterthought."

Rian had his doubts concerning the safety of her clan, but he nodded. "Don't worry, Deet. The Stonewood have already begun constructing walls and we've planned out a defense."

"They...won't go after the Stonewood for now." Deet's eyelids drooped with exhaustion, but her grip on Rian's hand was strong. "They want to take...the strongest first. It's the Drenchen. Just like I thought. Rian...they want the biggest and physically strongest gone first, and then...but they..."

"Easy," he soothed. Hup was also stroking Deet's hair, looking rather beside himself.

"They fear Stone in the Wood," Deet went on with a sigh. "They won't attack your people first. Drenchen need to be...out of the way. They...want...Vapra. Most of all, they want...Vapra and...Sifa..."

"Deet?" Rian shook her gently as his love interest began to lose consciousness.

"Deet!" Hup called, and the podling frantically grabbed up his waterskin to dribble some of it on his Grottan friend's face.

Deet began to glow softly with both the pure light of Thra and the vibrant, oddly beautiful purple of the Darkening. Hup and Rian looked at one another helplessly, both equally alarmed for their friend and for the fate of the Gelfling.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I'm not fluttering over Seladon/Vaurin I'm squealing over Hup being such an adorable and steadfast friend. Honestly, Hup was my favorite character from the start when I began watching AOR. Best podling.


	8. Chapter 8

It took a while for Deet to come to and when she did, she found two worried faces looming over her. She looked at Rian and she sighed unconsciously at how handsome he appeared, even with such anxiety stamped on his face. Hup was wide-eyed and looked to be on the verge of tears. The Grottan reached out for her podling friend first, because Deet really couldn't bear the sight of him crying.

"I'm all right," she assured him. "I just got dizzy."

Hup sighed with relief, relaxing. He looked around for one of the water gourds he and Rian had brought with them, and he offered it to her. "Here. Deet should drink."

"Thank you."

Deet took it from him, and Rian helped her to sit up so she could sip from the gourd without choking herself. After taking several swallows of the fresh, cool drink, Deet looked at her fellow gelfling. "You need to get back to Stone in the Wood, Rian. The defenses must be completed as soon as possible, and word needs to be sent to Ha'rar."

"Of course," he agreed, "but I thought you said that Skeksis were afraid to attack Stone in the Wood. Shouldn't that mean we have more time?"

"I'm really not sure," she admitted fretfully. "The bats they've sent are their spies. They know your clan is more prepared for a fight, and the garthim couldn't move far out of range of the crystal's influence before now. I can't predict what they'll do next, but I can try to spy on them through spirit travel, as I've done before. I need time to gather more information."

He nodded, and he lowered his eyes in thought. "They chose a smaller, more vulnerable settlement as their first target for an all out attack. I saw a glimpse of it in the vision before those gelfling were strapped into the chair. That makes me think they're testing both their creations and our ability to resist."

Deet agreed. Skeksis weren't stupid. They knew there was strength in Gelfling now and they had made a mistake in underestimating them. Skeksis were insidious. They had masqueraded as benevolent caretakers of Thra, its residents and the Crystal of Truth when they were in fact cruel tyrants.

"It will start small," she theorized aloud, staring blankly at the forest floor. "Just like the first appearances of the crystal bats."

"But get worse soon," guessed Hup with a frown. "Bats creepy, but no stay long. Garthim more dangerous."

"Yes," concurred Rian. "The bat swarms were alarming but not particularly threatening, by themselves. Skeksis wouldn't want Gelfling to know how much danger we're truly in until it's too late. That's how they've always done things. For more generations than I can guess, we thought they were our allies and we had no idea that they were corrupting the Crystal of Truth and spreading the Darkening. Aughra likened the skeksis to parasites and I think that's a fair comparison. You often don't know you have something leeching off of you until it does enough damage to make you sick. That's what they did to the crystal, and to our world."

"I agree," said Deet. "We both have our work to do. I need to get back to purifying the energy streams, especially now that fresh corruption is spreading. I also need to travel out of my body and try to look in on what the skeksis are doing."

"I understand. I'll hold an emergency council meeting this very night and send messengers to Ha'rar. I only hope everyone will believe me, because we can't afford to wait for someone to send news confirming what you just showed me."

"I think the Stonewood will believe you, at least," reasoned Deet.

"I think so too, but the Vapra, Dousan and Sifa might be harder to convince," sighed Rian. He looked at the ground pensively. "The Drenchen and Spriton are going to find out for themselves soon enough, I imagine. I'm fairly sure the village those victims came from was in between Drenchen and Spriton territory, so word is going to get out to both clans when someone passes through their in their travels."

Rian's eyes widened suddenly. "Oh no."

"What is it?" Deet reached out for him, laying a concerned hand on his shoulder.

"Gurjin, Naia and Kylan," he answered. "They volunteered to send word to the Spriton and Drenchen clans. When you gave me the information about what those creatures and the bats really were, we sent out messengers to all the clans to share it. Another group of volunteers set out just this morning, because Brea was able to draw a likeliness of those garthim with help from Rek'yr. She drew sketches to send to all the clans so they would know exactly what to watch out for."

He met her eyes, and there was dread in his expression. "They would have passed right through the same area where the attack happened. The next group behind them will as well."

"I didn't see any of them in the vision," Deet said, trying to ease his worries. "The garthim that raided the village must be long gone from there by now. They got what they went there for, so why would they stay?"

"Garthim probably go to other village next," predicted Hup. "Find more gelfling somewhere else."

Rian took a deep breath, and he gave a shaky nod. "Right. Our friends are probably safe. They might have even come across the village afterwards and if so, they'll tell their clans what they saw. Still, I wonder if there's any way you could find out if their all right. Do you think you can, Deet?"

"I'll definitely try," she promised. "I'm worried about them too."

"Thank you," said Rian, and he hugged her. "Hopefully there's no reason for us to be worried, but I'd rather confirm their safety than wait and wonder. I...I guess Hup and I should leave now."

"You have to," agreed Deet softly, "but I'll be right here. I'm not going anywhere and under the circumstances, you can come back tomorrow instead of waiting two days. I'll tell you if I've learned anything about the fate of our friends."

"Agreed." Rian's gaze softened on her, and he hesitated. "Um...before we go...uh, Hup...would you mind if—"

"Hup wait outside," interjected the podling. He gave Deet a tight hug, and then he bowed to her before turning to walk to the wall of the tangle dome they'd come through.

"Oh," Deet said when her podling friend stood there expectantly. She had to open the way for him. The way Rian was staring at her was distracting enough to make her forget that detail. "Just a moment, Hup."

Deet concentrated, reaching deep into the ground with her powers to command the hardened plant life to revert to it's previous form and part for Hup. The podling left, and she and Rian were alone together. Deet looked at her Stonewood friend shyly, guessing what was coming but still so inexperienced with it that she wasn't sure what to do.

Rian took the initiative, cupping her face in his hands and closing the distance between their mouths. His lips touched Deet's tenderly, pressing a gentle kiss there. She reciprocated, and he kissed her again more deeply. It was just like before; it started out hesitant and shy, and then their mouths locked and they were clinging to each other.

How unfair and cruel it was that they could only enjoy these stolen moments so briefly.

* * *

Brea wasn't aware of the raid on the border village. Like the others sent out to carry her illustrations to the clans, she had already left Stone in the Wood by the time Rian had this new tragedy to share. The princess, her Dousan suitor and the Stonewood guard that accompanied them stopped to camp for the night on their way to Ha'rar, and they resumed their journey first thing in the morning.

It was mid day by the time they made it to the capital. The hustle and bustle of Vapra going about their daily lives was familiar and welcome to Brea. She had a greater appreciation for her home after being away, and though she enjoyed the more rugged and quaint lifestyle of the Stonewood, she looked forward to enjoying a bit of citadel luxury during her stay. She and Rek'yr could sleep in her old bedroom of course, and if Seladon objected to that...well, it was too bad.

Brea mentally prepared herself for her sister's inevitable argument against her rooming up with her Dousan. A bigger one was sure to follow once Brea informed Seladon of her betrothal to Rek'yr. Not that Seladon should be particularly surprised, but Brea was sure her sister entertained the hope that things wouldn't work out between her and Rek'yr and she would end up with a proper Vapra husband.

As the trio approached the citadel gates, Brea inwardly rehearsed the counter argument she had prepared to give to her sister concerning her choice to take a Dousan as her mate.

_"You took someone beneath your station as your husband, Seladon. He's not even full Vapra, so what difference does it really make if I choose someone from another clan as my partner?"_

Brea hated to drag Vaurin into it and she hated even more to sound disparaging of his background, but it was the simple truth. Times had changed and finding a match with a socially ideal pedigree was no longer a priority. Their culture was fractured now, in danger of being wiped out completely. At this point in Gelfling history, ensuring the survival of their kind took precedence over selective bloodline.

"Good afternoon," greeted Brea to the paladins at the gate. She lowered the hood of her cloak to reveal her features to them. "I'm here with an important message for my sister the All Maudra."

"Princess Brea!" The paladin on the right exclaimed with delight. He and his companion both saluted and bowed. "It would be my honor to escort you personally to the citadel, but truth be told, you won't find the All Maudra here today."

Brea wasn't very surprised. Seladon's duties would take her out of citadel grounds regularly, she was sure. The All Maudra didn't rule exclusively from the throne room, after all.

"I see," she said. "Where might I find her, then? It's quite urgent that I speak with her."

"Our Librarian elder is handling matters in her stead while the All Maudra visits family in the foothills," explained the paladin. "I couldn't tell you exactly where it is myself, but he may know. Please allow me to show you to him, Princess Brea."

The paladin looked Brea's group over, and he got a distinctly uncomfortable expression on his face when he saw Rek'yr and obviously recognized him as Dousan. "Eh...your companions may stay at the Inn down yonder during your visit. I shall provide them a royal seal to show to the innkeeper, so they can stay free of charge."

"My companions will accompany me," corrected Brea sternly. "This is Rek'yr, Sandmaster of the Southern Xeric. He's an important gelfling."

She gestured at the Stonewood guard, who was looking around at their surroundings with interest. "And this is Lirad of the Stonewood clan. He volunteered to accompany us for safety in numbers. Both of my companions are here on a diplomatic visit with me, and I don't think my sister would take kindly to the news that you turned them away."

"O-of course, Princess. I thought them to be merely bodyguards. Pardon my mistake."

Brea nodded elegantly. It felt more awkward than ever to play the part of a royal now. She'd never been particularly _good_ at being a princess, lacking much of the motivation, social graces and propriety her sisters had demonstrated through the years. She was decent enough at faking it, though.

"Please take us to the Librarian immediately, sir."

"Absolutely." The paladin turned to his companion. "I'll have a relief sent to guard with you in my place."

The other paladin nodded. "Very well. It's good to see you back, Princess Brea."

"Thank you."

Brea motioned for her companions to follow as the first paladin whistled and waved for a carriage. The driver pulled the vehicle up as the gates opened, and the paladin escort opened the door for Brea and bowed to her. He waited for the princess and her companions to get in before instructing the driver to take them up to the citadel and then joining them inside.

"When I first recognized you," said the Paladin to Brea as the carriage rolled into motion, "I assumed you must have come to congratulate the Al Maudra and Prince Vaurin for their blessing."

Brea exchanged a confused look with her betrothed before speaking. "What news?"

"Oh, you haven't heard yet, then? She sent a courier out just yesterday to Stone in the Wood. I thought perhaps you received the announcement and came with all haste because of it."

"No, I left yesterday morning with news of my own to give to her. I don't recall passing by anyone on the way here, so her messenger might have taken a different travel route from us. What is this news I was meant to get?"

The paladin beamed happily. "Lady Seladon is expecting her first childling! It has been confirmed, although the All Maudra hasn't formally announced it to the people yet. So far it's being kept quiet, but I thought it would be safe to tell you since she intended to give you the news anyhow."

Brea was admittedly stunned. She'd been given the impression that Seladon was reluctant to start a family anytime soon. Her sister had expressed sincere doubts about the wisdom of getting pregnant during a time of war. Brea thought it would be at least a few trine before she'd have a niece or nephew. Just recently, Brea had felt a bit sorry for her brother in law because she could tell how much he wanted children and she was sure her sister would make him wait before giving him one of his own.

"Well, that's...joyous news," she remarked, still trying to shake off her surprise. "It happened much sooner than I thought it would."

As an afterthought, Brea muttered: "I've got to hand it to Vaurin; he's _good_. Even more of a charmer than I thought!"

Brea realized she'd said it aloud when her paladin escort chuckled, along with Lirad. "You aren't alone in that thought, Princess. Many of us never believed we would see the day when...well, forgive me, but the All Maudra tends to lend the impression of being impervious to feelings of the heart."

Brea nearly rolled her eyes. "There's nothing to forgive, Paladin. That impression reaches further than you think. Seladon has always been talented at coming off as cold. She isn't, really, but she's a master at concealing her kinder side."

"If you'll pardon my saying it," the paladin went on after giving her a thankful, respectful nod, "this union has changed her for the better. I've seen her laugh, seen her smile. She's a much warmer gelfling now than she used to be. Don't mistake me though; she's still got nerves of steel and I pity anyone that crosses her, but even I can see how besotted she is with her prince. She's always more forgiving of mistakes and more compromising whenever he's around."

Brea smiled, not doubting it in the slightest. She'd seen for herself how Vaurin freed her sister from the chrysalis Seladon had formed around herself over time. Brea couldn't blame her sister for erecting such emotional and mental defenses.

Their mother, Thra rest her spirit, had a hand in that with the pressures she put on Seladon, though Brea knew beyond a doubt that wasn't Mayrin's intention. She'd wanted her eldest daughter to be a strong leader, and to see that happen she had molded Seladon into the woman she had become. Neither of them were singularly to blame. Both did what they thought was best, and there was love to it regardless of what others might think.

But now the chrysalis had burst open, unable to contain the spirit of the woman it housed any longer because an unlikely suitor had shown Seladon that she could be a woman, as well as a leader. Now she could truly stretch her wings and lead with her heart, not old traditions.

"I'm so happy for her," Brea said at last, truthfully. "You're absolutely right. My sister loves her paladin deeply, and he compliments her perfectly. Thank you for telling me the news. It's very uplifting, and I could use that right now."

He appeared curious, but he was too disciplined to question her about the news she had come to give.

* * *

Vaurin, upon hearing his brother remark that he'd never ridden a land strider before, decided to take his brother out for a ride on his mount for the day. Seladon agreed to stay at the cottage with his mother while he and Jermid had their day together, so Vaurin road with his brother in the coach back to the citadel so they could take his land strider out from the stables on a run.

Jermid couldn't hide his fear at first; Vaurin could feel his brother trembling against his back as he climbed up behind him on the tall beast.

"Just keep a firm hold on my waist," advised Vaurin as he urged the land strider into a trot, heading for the gate that was being opened for them. "I'll take it slow at first, until you get a little more used to it. After a while, your instincts will take over and it will feel more natural to you, I promise."

"If you say so," came the tense response. "So, how fast can he go?"

"She," corrected Vaurin. "Summer is a female, and she can outrun most of her herd."

"You named your steed 'Summer'?"

Vaurin glanced back over his shoulder at his brother, smirking at him. "What would _you_ consider a good name for a beautiful girl?" He patted Summer on the shoulder blade, then rubbed the spot. "And you _are_ a beautiful girl, aren't you love?"

The land strider made a snorting sound that Vaurin knew to be an expression of content. As he guided his mount through the gate and out of the holding pens, he explained further to his brother. "At top speed, land striders can cover twenty leagues in an hour. They have great stamina, but they still have to rest after hard riding. One technique we use when we need to travel long distances quickly is to run them at full gallop for an hour, then slow to a walk for half an hour before running them again. You can alternate between the two for nearly a full day if you really need to push it, but I'd never recommend it unless it's absolutely necessary. It's cruel to the animal and not at all good for it."

"Oh. You sure know a lot about land striders."

Vaurin shrugged, and he took the path leading out of the citadel not towards town, but to the open road leading from Ha'rar. "I've been riding them since I was first recruited. Handling land striders is required training. You must be able to ride as if you're one with your mount before surpassing the rank of trainee."

"That stiff about it, are they?" Jermid asked.

"It's necessary, and the same is true of initiates for the castle guard...or rather, it was. Warriors, regardless of what caste they're in, must be able to respond to threats quickly. The land striders carry us swiftly to wherever we're needed, and these days, timing is more important than ever."

"Ugh, don't remind me."

Vaurin glanced back at his passenger again, hearing the gloomy note in Jermid's voice. "You're right. Let's not talk about unpleasant things today. We're here to enjoy ourselves. Hold on tight, little brother."

Vaurin nudged Summer with his boot heel and clicked his tongue. The land strider quickened her pace from a walk to a trot, gradually picking up speed.

"Whoa!"

Jermid's hold around the paladin's waist tightened enough to make breathing an issue.

"Not quite _that_ tight," admonished Vaurin in a huff. "I still need to draw breath, squirt."

"S-sorry!" Jermid barely relaxed his hold, but it was enough to let the older male breathe easier. "Is this...full speed?"

Vaurin grinned, and he left the road to take to the open fields. The wind was blowing against his hood. He'd worn his full uniform for this endeavor out of habit, but his brother didn't have the protection of a hood to keep his hair from flying. "Hardly. You haven't seen anything yet. I'm just easing you into it."

"Then how much faster...bugger!"

While his passenger was speaking, Vaurin gave his mount a light kick in the flank, and she picked up more speed. Jermid was spouting off amazed gibberish and hanging onto the older male for dear life. They charged across the landscape, reaching full speed as the terrain leveled out. If it weren't for his helmet piece, Vaurin's hood would have long since blown off his head. As it was, the wind was buffeting his ears beneath the cover of his headwear, and he was sure Jermid's hair was whipping behind him.

They passed over a hill, and Vaurin turned his head to holler over his shoulder at his brother. "How do you like it so far?"

"It's...amazing! Whooo!"

Vaurin laughed at his brother's hooting, completely understanding how he felt. The first time he'd ridden a land strider himself, the sense of freedom it gave was so exhilarating that he had whooped and hollered as well. There was nothing quite like it, save perhaps flight. As a male, he would never know; unless perhaps he rode upon one of the Dousan clan's giant gliding creatures.

"We'll head for Sunbrook," announced Vaurin, "and then we'll circle back and stop at the farm in time for lunch with Mum and Seladon."

"But what about your carriage?" asked Jermid.

Vaurin shrugged. "I'll ride Summer back into town after lunch and come back in the carriage. She needed to get out for a good run anyway. I really should do this at least every other day, for her sake. Want to make it a custom of ours? Between brothers?"

"I'd really like that," agreed Jermid. "But...I have chores to handle, too. I can't let Mother down."

"You won't," assured Vaurin. "I'll only keep you for an hour every other day. When I have the free time from my duties, I can even come and help out on the farm a bit."

"You don't have to do that," said the younger male. "You should spend your free time with your wife."

"I'm afraid our schedules aren't always going to align," explained Vaurin, raising his voice again over the rumble of thunder coming in from the mountains. "Seladon won't mind. I'm sure she'd rather me help out on the farm than amuse myself with gambling, anyhow."

"Does she even know you gamble?"

"She does," answered Vaurin with a grin. "We keep no secrets from each other."

"And she's okay with that?" Jermid sounded doubtful.

"Ah, let's just say she looks the other way," answered Vaurin. "So long as I'm discreet about it, Seladon lets me game as much as I like."

"Lets you? Is she your mate or your mother?"

Vaurin chuckled again, and he glanced off to the right when lightning flashed across the sky. There was a storm moving in at the distance, but they had time before it reached them. The sun was still shining where they were currently at.

"Compromise is part of any relationships, Jermid. Don't assume Seladon keeps me on a leash, though. If she thinks I'm making a mistake she tells me so and I listen. The same holds true in reverse. We have mutual respect for each other's opinions and feelings."

"Huh. So you two can forbid each other from doing things?"

"In a manner of speaking." Vaurin decided to change the subject, because there was no way his brother would be able to completely understand it until Jermid was mated himself. "How would you like to learn to ride a land strider yourself? I can give you lessons during our outings."

"Really? Fantastic! Yes, I would love to learn to ride!"

Vaurin smiled, pleased with his brother's reaction and this brief time they got to spend together, just the two of them. "It's settled, then. I'll have you riding like a pro in less than a month."

* * *

Seladon started several times to write an entry into her new journal, and then ended up staring down at the blank page with her pen hovering over the ink jar. She wondered again how her sister did this all the time. Seladon herself lacked any artistic inclinations. She compressed her lips after a moment, dipped the pen into the ink and tried again.

Once more, her hand froze as well as her mind. A drop of the ink fell from the pen onto the page, and Seladon hissed through her teeth with annoyance. She replaced the pen in the jar, picked up the journal and got off the stool. Jeni had moved her own book stand and stool into the bedroom Seladon was sharing with Vaurin, so that the younger female could start familiarizing herself with keeping her journal in privacy.

Seladon left the bedroom and went into the common room, at the end of her wits. Jeni was sitting by the hearth in a rocking chair, and Baffi was in her lap. The fizzgig looked up and whined in greeting when he saw Seladon. She spared a pat on the head for him.

"Mother, it was very thoughtful of you to gift this to me," Seladon told Jeni, looking down at the little book in her hand, "and I thank you for going through such trouble on my account, but I just don't have a scholar's touch. Look; this is all I've managed to do in nearly an hour."

Jeni looked at the ink blot on the first page, and she grinned slightly with amusement. "Well, I suppose that's a start."

When Seladon looked crestfallen, the older female sighed and gestured at the armchair adjacent to hers. "Sit down, love."

Seladon obeyed, and Jeni stroked Baffi's head as she offered some advice. "Nobody said you have to write down every little detail of thoughts and feelings that may strike you, Seladon. The purpose behind the journal I gave you was to keep track of your pregnancy. Even if you just write the date and how you're feeling each day, it's enough. Documenting as your condition progresses will help you to pinpoint the cause if—Thra forbid—any complications arise."

"Oh." Seladon flushed a bit, and then she laughed and shook her head. "I feel so foolish. When you said 'pregnancy journal', I thought I was meant to be used as a way for me to vent when I have mood swings."

Jeni smiled and shrugged. "It can be. Sometimes it feels safer to pen it down in privacy than to confide in someone. If that isn't for you, then it's perfectly okay. I just know that pregnancy can be a frightening time for a woman, and I personally found it reassuring to keep a record of what I ate, what changes occurred as I progressed and when I first felt Vaurin start to move within me."

Seladon considered that viewpoint, and she nodded. "Now that you've explained in detail, I do see the value of it. Very well; I shall start keeping records of my daily health and diet. If I think of it as a sort of report like seasonal crop yields, I think I can manage better."

"Whatever works best for you," agreed Jeni. "So sorry I didn't explain better when I offered the journal to you. I admit I was a bit distracted by the reading at the time."

Seladon nodded, and the mood became somber. She trusted in Jeni's fortune reading. Her mother used to approach the Sifa during the times they made landfall near Ha'rar to get predictions. Seladon recalled them accurately foreseeing harsh winters and droughts, and that helped to prepare ahead of time. She didn't much care for some of the portents Jeni had seen, though in the times they faced she couldn't exactly expect a perfectly happy prediction.

Jeni suddenly stiffened in her seat, and Baffi uttered a low growl. Vaurin's mother perked her ears and tilted her head with a severe frown. "Did you hear that?"

Seladon's brow lifted. She started to ask the other woman what she was talking about, but now that Jeni was on alert, Seladon realized their was a distant, faint sound that had a wrongness to it. At first she'd taken it for distant bird calls; background noises barely audible over the crackle of the fire in the hearth. Her ears perked as well as she examined the sound, which seemed to have gotten louder.

"Is that...screaming?"

Baffi hopped off Jeni's lap and rolled to the front door. He planted himself there, his already fluffy coat of fur standing on end. He was growling at the portal threateningly.

"Something isn't right," Seladon and Jeni both said at the same time, looking at one another with alarm.

Both of them got up and started to go outside to investigate, but their fizzgig companion wouldn't move out of the way. He turned to face them, blocking the door with his fluffy girth, and he started barking at them.

"Baffi, move!" Commanded Seladon. "What's gotten into you?"

"I think," said Jeni, "that he doesn't want us going outside. He's trying to protect us from something."

Baffi whined, turned, looked at the door and then turned to face them again with a yip of confirmation.

Unsettled by the behavior, Seladon had to think for a moment. "Regardless of what might be happening out there, we need to know. Baffi, move aside!"

She walked forward and nudged the agitated creature with her calf, twisting the knob to pull the door open. Seladon cursed softly when Baffi took a mouthful of the hem of her gown and tugged on it, trying to hold her back as she started to walk through the open door.

"Baffi, enough! If there's danger, Mother and I need to know what it is!"

He whined, and then he rolled outside ahead of her, sticking close to the All Maudra loyally while she exited the cottage with Jeni behind her. Almost immediately, Seladon detected the smell of smoke in the air...along with the subtle, tangy hint of blood.

"Look, down in the valley!" Called Jeni, pointing at the lowlands that her farm overlooked.

Seladon followed her gesture with her eyes, and her breath caught. There were smaller homes down in the valley, smaller farms. Three of those homes were under attack by the same number of nightmare creatures described by Vaurin and Rek'yr. Now that she saw them herself, there was no mistaking them. What else could they possibly be?

Giant, bulky and with armored shells the color of onyx, the crustacean-like beasts were smashing houses and snatching up panicked homestead gelfling as they went. Seladon noticed through her bewilderment that the creatures had some sort of basket weave cages secured to their backs, and the gelfling fortunate enough not to be killed by the beast's pincers once caught in them were deposited into said cages.

Standing stunned and horrified, Seladon vaguely heard her mother in law speak a prayer from behind her.

"Thra help us all."

* * *

"Uh, Vaurin? Is that smoke I see up ahead?"

Vaurin had noticed it too, and he slowed his mount to a trot, frowning at the rolling clouds of smoke rising into the sky from the small township of Sunbrook.

"Could just be home fires," he reasoned, though in his heart, he had his doubts. While it was cold enough now for most gelfling homes in these parts to have the hearth lit day and night, the oily black color of the smoke seemed wrong. It wasn't the kind of cheerful chimney smoke one might expect to see rising from the houses of families just keeping their dwellings warm.

It was the smoke of destruction; the smoke of war. Something other than hearth fires were lit up in that community.

"Let's have a closer look," Vaurin decided, duty-bound to investigate any odd goings on within Vapra territory. He kneed his land strider, and he felt her hesitation and distress. He patted her on the shoulder blade. "Come on, girl. It's all right."

She warbled and then lurched into motion. It lacked the usual grace that Vaurin was accustomed to, and he knew she was spooked by something. He urged her on nonetheless, feeling a coldness seeping into his body that had nothing to do with the temperature of the weather. As they crested the hill overlooking the settlement, he and Jermid saw the reason for the black smoke.

The township of Sunbrook was in carnage. Nearly half of the buildings were smashed in. There were gelfling bodies strewn about; at least five that Vaurin could see. Deep gouges in the earth, abandoned and broken carts, produce scattered everywhere.

"What...happened?" Jermid gasped.

Vaurin shook his head, his senses going on alert. "I don't know, little brother, but I have my suspicions. Looks to be an attack and the evidence we've gathered thus far points to Skeksis involvement."

"But...Skeksis couldn't do _this_," argued Jermid. "Could they? They're so few in number! Surely even with their powers, they couldn't have come and wiped out the whole—"

Summer began to bleat and stomp, forcing Vaurin to take his attention off the wreck of the settlement and his brother's words in order to keep her from bucking them both off.

"Whoa! Easy girl. Easy."

He patted the land strider, and she calmed enough to alleviate the threat of unseating him and his passenger. Obviously she smelled something, so Vaurin sniffed the wind himself. The scent he caught made his stomach churn and burned his nostrils. He _knew_ that smell. He turned his head in the direction it was coming from...to the south. It was then that he saw, in the far distance, a line of six bulky ebony creatures making their egress from Sunbrook.

He knew them by sight, because he'd already seen the remains of one of them and experienced the vision of it in the flesh through contact with an Arathim. There were even some of the odd bats that had plagued Stone in the Wood more than once, circling around the ruined township. Vaurin's breath caught, and the storybook happiness he'd been living in came to a cruel, angry halt.

The skies darkened and at first, he presumed it was a cloud mass passing over and blocking the suns. Then Vaurin heard the screeching, followed by that sound like glass breaking. He looked up in alarm, and the moment he saw the swarm of unwelcome but familiar bats blotting out the light of the suns, he knew there was no time to waste.

"Seladon," he gasped. "Mother."

His brother had also noticed the mass of creatures, and Jermid had been informed about them. "Vaurin, do you think—"

"Hang on tight!"

Vaurin turned his mount around and made a shrill sound, vibrating his tongue against the roof palate of his mouth. "Summer, go! Run like the wind!"

* * *

Seladon had run back into the house to find her dirk, and when she joined her companion outside, she found that Jeni had a rather impressive staff on hand. It was made of twisted dark wood and shod on both ends with blue metal. There were Sifa and Vapra symbols etched along the length of the staff.

"I know this isn't the ideal time," Seladon remarked, "but that staff is absolutely lovely."

"Thank you," answered Jeni. She scooped up their barking fizzgig companion with one arm, trying to shush him. "Seems we've dove face-first in a pickle barrel here. We can't run. It would only attract those things' attention. Slow as they look, it's a ways to the capital on foot."

"And we can't lock ourselves up in the house," reasoned Seladon, having seen what the monsters could do to gelfling homes. "Well-built as it is, the walls won't hold against those monstrosities."

"Perhaps the cellar," suggested Jeni. "We could brace the hatch. Problem is there's only one way in and out. If they break through we'd have no chance to flee."

"I would rather go down fighting than trapped like a rodent in a cage," insisted Seladon. She faltered briefly, her free hand going to her belly. Her daughter. She could fight and die, but her childling would die with her.

"Get behind me, daughter," stated Jeni suddenly, tone grim. She put Baffi on the ground, and she wielded her staff in both hands.

Seladon then saw one of the malevolent creatures scrambling up the path on the hill on a direct course for them. It's eyes—tiny by comparison to its huge bulk—seemed to be fixated on her. She drew her blade and extended her wings.

"Wait! We can fly away! Surely those things cannot jump and reach us. Not with their bulk!"

"I've been crippled of that for several trine," informed Jeni. "My left wing never healed properly from an infection that took the lot of it. It grew back, but deformed. You should go, Seladon. Carry word to the citadel and do what you can to help our people."

Seladon shook her head. "I'm not leaving you!"

"Ugh! Stubborn girl! You've got more to consider than me or yourself! I...oh...oh look there! It's Vaurin and Jermid!"

Seladon turned in the direction that her mother in law had indicated with her staff, and sure enough, her husband was coming up on the hill on his land strider, Jermid seated behind him. The later was yelling but Vaurin was silent and determined. Seladon could feel a surge of protective rage from her mate as he closed in on the threat that was making for her and his mother.

Seladon shouted a warning to him. "Vaurin, be careful!"

He said something to his younger brother, and Jermid made a clumsy jump down from the back of Vaurin's land strider. Jeni rushed to her youngest son's aid as he made his ungraceful landing, and Vaurin cried out a command to his mount.

Seladon hurried to her companion's side, blade still drawn, as her husband's land strider reared back and struck the approaching menace in the side with her front hooves.

"Are you all right?" she hollered to her brother in law, who was just getting back to his feet with his mother's help.

He nodded. "Yes, but...oh bugger, Vaurin, what are you doing?"

"Driving it away!" Came the shouted answer. "Stay back, family!"

Evidently the enemy creature wasn't completely immune from the land strider's attacks. Seladon could see wisps of smoke rising up from where Summer's strikes hit on the chitin. The monster seemed disoriented by the attack, and when Summer hit it again, Seladon saw sparks fly.

All she could think of at the moment was how beautiful her husband was, how valorous in his devotion. She felt like everything would be all right, because surely nothing could stop such a determined gelfling.

Seladon's glimmering moment of triumph was abruptly snuffed out, though. The monstrosity swung out with one of its huge forearms, hitting Vaurin's mount in one spindly leg. The land strider cried out and stumbled, falling onto her side. Her rider jumped and rolled away to avoid being crushed beneath her, and he got to his feet with a grimace of pain.

Vaurin drew both blades and charged to intercept the enemy as it started to clumsily bear down on his fallen mount.

"Get away from her," he snapped, standing between his land strider and the monster, "and get away from my family."

"Vaurin!"

Seladon began to run to his side. He turned to look at her, legs parted in a battle stance. He shook his head. "No, my lady. Don't."

She came to a halt, at a loss. The creature coming after Vaurin appeared wounded and shaken; disoriented. It was having trouble balancing itself as though it might be dizzy. "Come inside! We can barricade the door!"

"Son, listen to her," called Jeni.

Vaurin looked around, and he shook his head. "No. The citadel is the only safe place. They've taken all the neighbors and they're setting their sights here next. I can see two more of them closing in from the valley. They can smash through any barricade we could hastily erect."

He went to his land strider, gently encouraging her as she got painfully upright. "Good girl."

Vaurin turned from the mount, looking at his disoriented brother, his wife and his mother. "Get on her. Now. Seladon, you know how to ride. The three of you can fit together."

"Wait," she begged, stricken by a horrible feeling. "Vaurin, we aren't leaving you."

He strode up to her, and the enemy creature his land strider had attacked was still lilting to the side, possibly in danger of tipping over. The paladin cupped Seladon's face in his hands and stared into her eyes. "Summer can't carry all of us at once, and there is no time. You need to get back to the capital and bring warning."

"B-but I can fly! I could even carry you if—"

"Seladon, you're still recovering from that wing infection you incurred during our travels," he pointed out. "The citadel is too far for you to fly all the way there even without the burden of my added weight. Get onto Summer. Right now. This is one of those rare situations where the paladin has authority over the All Maudra, and I'm employing it now."

When she hesitated, Vaurin cursed and looked to his family. "If you don't do this, we'll _all _be taken. At least if you and the family get out of here, there's a chance. You can rally the guard to get mobilized quickly and go after these creatures to free the survivors they've taken. I'll try not to get caught, but you _must_ do this!"

It broke Seladon's heart to agree with him, and she gave him one last, tight hug. "Don't you leave me, Sly. Stay alive, no matter what."

He took his family medallion off and pressed it into her hand. "I swear to Thra, I won't leave you. I will find my way back to you, no matter what happens. Keep this safe for me."

Seladon's fingers felt numb as she closed her hand over the heirloom. She pocketed it in her reticule pouch, where she was keeping her journal. The monster that had attacked them was starting to get its wits. Soon it wouldn't just be landing lucky hits when it attacked again. Baffi was bouncing and yapping in the background, as if urging everyone to hurry up. Seladon hugged her husband, kissed him hard on the lips and whispered a heartfelt endearment.

"I love you."

"And I you," came his fierce answer. He offered her a boost onto his land strider's leg, all the while cooing to the beast to keep her calm. "Hurry, darling."

Seladon climbed up, and once she was seated, Vaurin urged his mother up behind her, then his brother. He hugged both of them before assisting them up, stilling their arguments with remarkably calm authority. Once all three gelfling were atop Summer, Vaurin picked Baffi up and lifted him enough for him to make the jump into Seladon's lap. Fizzgig were surprisingly springy little creatures, able to leap long distances despite their small legs.

"Summer, to the Citadel at once," Vaurin ordered his mount, giving her an urgent pat on a rear leg. "Run hard and don't stop until you get there!"

"Vaurin, you ought to climb up!" Yelled Jermid. "You can squeeze on!"

Seladon knew the younger sibling was wrong about that. He was going to have a difficult time hanging on as it was, seated on the land strider's rump. Vaurin was right; there just wasn't enough room for more than three, and it would be a stroke of luck if none of them got unseated in this ride as it was. Summer was already moving anyway, obeying her paladin rider as she'd been thoroughly trained to. Each land strider was attuned specifically to their assigned rider and in the mind of Summer, Vaurin's command was law.

Seladon kept a tight hold on the land strider's long secondary ears affixed to its shoulder blades. Jeni in turn kept a firm hold around Seladon's waist and Jermid no doubt was clinging to his mother like a vine. Seladon looked back at her husband as they started leaving him behind. Vaurin was shouting at the crustacean creature, banging both blades together to keep its attention focused on him and off his retreating family.

The other approaching menaces would be up on the hill in moments, and no matter how deft the paladin was on his feet, he would soon be overwhelmed if he let them surround him. Every instinct Seladon had screamed at her to go back for him, and common sense faltered in the face of her fear of losing her beloved.

She couldn't do this. She couldn't abandon Vaurin, but she knew that Summer would not turn around if she tried to make her. The land strider had been given specific instructions and she would carry them out regardless of what her passengers wanted.

"I can't," Seladon cried. "I can't leave him behind!"

"Don't make his sacrifice be in vain child!" snapped Jeni, equally tearful and frightened for her son. "Vaurin was right, and my boy's got some tricks up his sleeve yet. He may yet escape and meet up with us. Don't put that baby you carry in additional danger with some fool-headed idea of trying to fight those creatures off with Vaurin! All you'll do is distract him if you try."

It killed Seladon to admit the wisdom in the older woman's words, and she took small comfort in the nuzzling warmth of the loyal fizzgig seated between her thighs. Yes, she had more than herself to think about. In addition to her unborn, she now had two family members and Baffi to think about. If she left them to fly back to her husband, they might not be able to stay mounted on Summer.

Seladon kept tight hold with one hand, while reaching with the other one for her reticule to feel for the round bulk of Vaurin's medallion beneath the material. At first she couldn't find it, and she panicked. After a bit of patting around, she located its reassuring shape against the underside of the bag, having gotten buried beneath her journal.

Seladon prayed to Thra and all her ancestors to keep her husband alive so that they might be reunited.

* * *

"Here! Here, you disgusting roach! Why go after something you can't catch when I'm right in front of you?"

Vaurin swallowed his fear as the creature focused its attention sharply on him. It had recovered from its disorientation and it immediately began plowing towards him, pincers snapping and multiple smaller legs clicking grotesquely. The paladin looked around, seeing some of the monsters retreating from the valley in the opposite direction. The cage constructions on their backs were filled with captured gelfling; so full that arms and legs were hanging out of some of them. Vaurin could hear their cries for help even from this distance.

Three of the abominations didn't have completely full loads, and they were advancing up to his family farm. Either the beings had some form of silent communication at their disposal, or they were under direct compulsion to collect as many live prisoners as possible before leaving. They definitely seemed to have some honing sense that led them to the nearest targets.

"Run, boy!"

The masculine shout startled Vaurin, and for a wild second, he thought it had come from the creature bearing down on him, some sort of mocking taunt. He then saw a gelfling arm flailing out from behind the creature's back. He realized the advice had come not from the monster, but from someone it had captured and held in its cage.

Vaurin was forced to dodge and roll as the beast tried to snatch him up with both claws. He vividly remembered the condition his father had been found in, and he could guess easily enough what had happened. These things might have the goal to capture his kind alive, but those pincers of theirs were powerful; not particularly designed for delicate maneuvers. Perhaps the one that killed his father had the aim to capture but didn't know its own strength. Then again, they'd found no evidence of any woven cage left behind, so that first sighting might have simply been a test to see what the creatures were capable of.

Vaurin moved fast, coming up behind the creature. It was apparently confused by the move, its pincers snapping the air where he'd been standing. As the paladin got to his feet with blades drawn defensively, he saw two frightened, familiar faces staring out at him from the domed cage secured to his enemy's back.

It was the turnip farmer and his wife from just down the road, in the foothills overlooking the valley. The ones that had been forced to give up the wife's necklace with her mother's dream etching during the last tithing before Skeksis were ousted as the lying tyrants they were.

"Sir Vaurin, go!" urged the wife in a tight, fearful voice. "Save yourself!"

He shook his head, jaw tightening with resolve. He'd become a paladin to protect Gelfling, not just his beloved princess and her family. "I'll free you. Just hang tight and be ready to run for it!"

The creature spun around to face him, moving with greater speed and determination now. Vaurin gamely evaded it again, trying to decide how best to make good his promise to the couple. He struck out at a pincer as he dodged it, and his blade sparked, barely nicking the hard chitin. He felt the vibration up his arm and he cursed when his sword broke off at the blade.

Obviously, he couldn't damage his adversary with the weapons he had at his disposal. The basket cage on its back, however, was made of plant fibers and branches. He had one good sword left and two boot knives, all of them sharp enough to cut through the material of that cage. He just needed to find the ideal spot to do it without risking harm to the farmer and his wife.

Vaurin dove away again from the creature's next attack, and he felt his cloak snag. It had the garment in its pincher. He didn't even think about it; he released the clasp to fee himself before he could be dragged back and caught up in the other claw. The move worked in his favor, because the beast apparently thought it had him and it reached back to pop open a hatch in the cage on its back, evidently intending to drop its new prize in there with the other two catches.

It was his best chance to act. Vaurin got behind the creature and scrambled up the cage quickly, dodging the claw that was dropping his cloak into it. He reached down, urging his fellow gelfling to take his hand to help them climb out. The farmer immediately lifted his wife up first, and Vaurin caught her hands and pulled her out. He got her husband out next, and he waited for the two of them to drop to the ground before following suit.

"Run!"

They didn't need to be told twice. Vaurin followed quickly while the creature still had its back to him. He was faster than his two companions, but he paced himself as he caught up with them, determined not to let them fall behind and get caught again.

"Where can we go?" huffed the farmer. "There are more coming after us!"

"To the woods," answered Vaurin. "The undergrowth might slow them, and I doubt those things can climb trees. We may be able to stay out of their reach until help arrives."

"Good idea," approved the wife.

Together, the three of them ran for all they were worth away from the fields and deeper into the foothills, where the terrain became rockier and the plant growth thickened. Vaurin solicitously paused to help his companions when they had difficulty keeping their footing, and he could see four of their nightmare pursuers crashing through the woods, not very far behind them.

The paladin urged them on until there was enough distance between themselves and the monsters to find a good, solid tree to scramble up into. There was little time to search for protection, so Vaurin found the most promising one available with the thickest trunk and sturdiest branches. He stopped before it, and he nodded to his companions.

"Missus," he said to the farmer's wife, squatting down and linking his fingers together to offer her a boost up. "You first."

She took the offer and spread her wings to vault up using Vaurin's boost. Once she made it to the first branch, she got on her stomach on her perch and she reached down to help the two males up. Vaurin insisted on the farmer going next before climbing up himself.

"All right," he gasped once all three of them were on, "Now climb up as high as we can. Those things are big enough to reach us from this level. We have to be out of their range before they make it to us."

Up they climbed, finding the safest hand and footholds they could. The branches thinned near the top of the tree, but there was no need for them to risk climbing any higher to perches that might not hold their weight; they were at least twice as high up as one of those creatures were tall.

"We made it," panted the farmer, exchanging a look of relief with his wife. "Thank you, Prince Vaurin. Your valiance won't be forgotten. Our little ones, when they come, will hear of this and so will future generations of our family line."

"Let's just concentrate of staying alive to make those future generations," advised Vaurin dryly, also winded from the chase and the climb. "My lady escaped with my family on the back of my land strider. They'll bring word to the citadel, and rescue parties will be sent out."

They were safe for now, but trapped. The murderous abductors arrived at the base of the tree, and all four otherworldly creatures stared up at the treed gelfling with single-minded fixation. They snapped their claws in frustration, but their quarry was far out of their reach.

Vaurin breathed easier. His hunch had been right. The creatures didn't know how to climb trees and even if they tried, their bulk would make it impossible to achieve.

Trees were made out of wood though, and wooden barriers had proven inept protection against these fiends. Stone too. Vaurin was reminded of this grim fact when the creatures below began to bang their claws against the trunk of the gelfling's perch. Whether through some form of intelligence or instinct, the creatures began attacking the tree itself, rather than continue trying to reach their targets in its branches.

"Bugger," spouted Vaurin, his tension returning as the tree shook. He and his companions were forced to hug the trunk of the tree to avoid being shaken off the branches. "No good. If they can break through building walls, they can take down this tree."

"What else can we do?" cried the female.

Vaurin had no immediate answer. They could be shaken out of the tree like ripe fruit at any moment. He looked around for some answer, some escape route they could use. Short of trying to jump from this tree to another and so-on, he couldn't see any path out of this mess.

"There!" The farmer pointed to the north, where the foothills were giving way to rocky mountain terrain. "There's a small cave up there in the cliff! If we could get to it, we might be safe!"

Vaurin looked to where the other man was pointing, and he saw what he was talking about. It was hard to tell how deep it went from their vantage point, but it was small enough for gelfling to squeeze into. Too small for the giant pincers of the creatures after them to fit through, and the opening was in solid rock. It could provide safe shelter, but it could also possibly cave in if the monsters bashed at it enough.

It was better than their current haven, at any rate.

"Right. Missus, can you carry the weight of a passenger? Do you think your wings are strong enough?"

She nodded jerkily. "Y-yes, my lord. If I take you one at a time, I think I could get all three of us there."

"Good. Pick a sturdy enough branch higher up to boost from, and take your husband first. Come back for me after he's safely there."

It was a solid plan for having to come up with it in a pinch. Vaurin hung on with one arm and tried to assist the couple as they carefully made their way further up, about three spans higher on the tree. The trunk was groaning now under the assault, and Vaurin glanced down to see chunks of bark and wood flying away. The creatures were going to hammer it to a pulp until it started to topple. There wasn't much time left.

"That's it," he encouraged his companions, "don't slip and fall."

They made it to their branch of choice, and the couple looked down at him with worry. The husband cried out to him.

"I'm Culin, and my wife is Sileedi."

Vaurin nodded. They had been neighbors since he was in his teen years, but he had never properly been introduced to them. It was a strange time to remedy that, but he supposed it was better to at least know the names of the gelfling he was trying to protect.

"We'll get better acquainted later, when we're all safe," promised Vaurin. "Now go. There isn't much time left."

The couple didn't waste any further time. Sileedi embraced her husband tightly from behind and spread her wings. Her takeoff was less than graceful, as the tree shook and caused her to lose her footing. Vaurin winced, but breathed a sigh of relief as she recovered from the brief tumble off the branch and took to the air. Her flight was slow and laborious, suggesting she didn't often exercise her wings. The strength of her back and arms from working the fields proved enough to make up for that, and she ascended out of the trees and up to the cliff.

Just as the couple made it to the opening in the mountain side, the tree that Vaurin was still in began to tilt, its base cracking and splintering under the heavy blows of the attackers. He held on grimly, switching positions to another branch when he realized the angle of the impending fall would crush him beneath the tree if he didn't get out of it before it fell.

Culin was shouting for his wife to hurry, and she started to step off the small ledge they were on with the intent to retrieve the paladin.

It was too late. The tree that Vaurin was in began to fall in earnest, groaning as it went down.

"Stay there!" Shouted the paladin. "Don't risk it!"

Both the farmer and his wife reached helplessly, horror written all over their faces as Vaurin's perch gave way. He was falling, and he dropped his sword. Even so, he drew his knives from his boots as the ground came up to meet him, and he tried to twist his body for a landing that wouldn't be as likely to break his back.

He never made it to the forest floor. Vaurin was caught up in one giant pincer, and it squeezed him hard enough to force the breath from his lungs. He tried to inhale, found it impossible. Even so, he was determined to go down fighting. He would rather get snapped in half than be taken by these things for whatever nefarious purpose they had in mind.

Vaurin stabbed and slashed with his knives, kicked with his feet. His ears began to ring from lack of oxygen, his head feeling swollen and the helpless cries of his companions fading into the background. He was turned over upside down, and he could see the open cage over his head. He fought harder, his knives scraping uselessly against the armor of the pincher holding him.

Vaurin was dropped into the cage just as the lack of air started robbing him of consciousness. He landed hard, hitting his head on one of the ridges beneath the woven prison. On his back with his legs up in the air, he saw the hatch of his cage closing, saw the darkening skies above the trees flash with lightning.

The last thing on his mind before he blacked out was his wife, unborn child and family, and the hope that they would make it safely to the citadel.

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Seladon reunites with Brea and mobilizes her forces to go after the Garthim, hoping to free those they took captive. Word is sent out to the clans that Skeksis have become emboldened enough to begin attacking small settlements with poor defenses and scattered populations. Naia, Gurgin and Kylan begin their journey back to Stone in the Wood, while the Drenchen and Spriton band together in defense of their territories. Vaurin joins the ranks of gelfling captives, wondering if he'll ever see his daughter born or his family again.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all, I'm sorry it's taken so long to update. My work hours have doubled and frankly, this was a hard chapter to write in the first place due to reasons you'll probably understand after reading it. I hope you enjoy this chapter even though it's on the dark side. I tried to incorporate a touch of humor, macabre though it might seem.

Brea was in the middle of an audience with the Librarian of Ha'rar when a paladin burst in with a breathless, urgent method.

"Sir! The farm lands are under attack! Huge creatures came out of the woods...the likes of which we've never seen! The...the All Maudra..."

"What?" pressed Brea, hurrying over to the winded paladin. "Where is my sister? She was visiting those lands!"

"She's here," he assured her. "They are bringing her now with her extended family. They barely escaped with their lives. Some were killed, others taken for Thra knows what purpose. She—"

Two more paladins came into the council chamber, escorting Seladon and her husband's family. Seladon's fizzgig rolled along beside them, and as soon as the All Maudra saw her sister, she ran to her and embraced her.

"Brea...what are you doing here?"

"I came to bring news," answered the younger female, returning the embrace. She pulled back to look at her sibling with worry. "What happened? Where is Vaurin?"

"He stayed behind to act as a decoy while we got away on his land strider," answered Seladon. "I want forces sent out immediately to look for him. The creatures came without warning, raiding the countryside and destroying houses. They've taken the survivors away somewhere. Vaurin is still alive, but he's injured...I can feel it!"

"Oh Thra...it's really happening," whispered Brea, horrified. "Sister, I know what these things are now. Rian got a vision from Deet, and—"

"Deet?" Seladon blinked tearful eyes at her. "Did they find her?"

"No, not exactly. I was just telling the Librarian that—"

"I have no time for riddles! My husband is out there, and there are more endangered villages that must be evacuated."

"All Maudra," cut in the Librarian, "please calm yourself. The princess has already filled me in. Allow me to impart the information to our armies for you and send them out in your stead. You've been through an ordeal and someone should have a look at you to be sure you aren't injured."

"Listen to him," urged Vaurin's mother while Brea nodded in agreement. "Your breathing is erratic and I fear you may be going into shock."

"But...Vaurin," gasped Seladon.

She was so pale, and Brea was afraid her sister was going to pass out any moment. She put an arm around her, and Rek'yr did the same. Together, they guided Seladon over to the council throne and coaxed her to sit down on it.

"I'll fetch some water," offered Rek'yr.

Brea nodded. She took her sister's hand and held her gaze, encouraging her to take deep breaths. Vaurin's brother began to babble hysterically in the background, and Brea gave a start when she heard a sharp smack. She turned to see him holding the side of his face, staring at his mother with wide eyes.

"No time for that," admonished Jeni. "Keep your wits about you, son. You're no help to anyone if you start going into hysterics."

He started to shake, and Jeni embraced him. "There now, calm yourself. Seladon just said your brother is alive, and we have to trust in Vaurin to remain that way. Shh. I'm sorry I slapped you, sweetheart. I just can't take you coming apart on me right now."

"I'm...I'm sorry, Mum."

Brea couldn't afford to comfort either of them right now, much as she wanted to. She had to help her sister right now.

"Brea," Seladon said after taking a cup of water offered to her by Rek'yr, "what are they? Right now, I don't care how you learned the information. Just tell me."

Brea thanked the paladin that brought her a stool to sit on beside the throne, and she sat down to explain everything to her sister. Meanwhile the Librarian went with one of the Lieutenants to find Captain Nethrid and organize pursuit of the Garthim and defense of the vulnerable settlements.

* * *

"You've done all you can," Maudra Laesid advised her twins after discussing everything in detail and sending out investigative parties. The siblings and Kylan had dream fasted with her and every warrior possible to share what they'd seen.

"Now we know exactly what we face, and I can plan accordingly to protect our folk. You three should get back to Stone in the Wood and help Rian. I've a feeling those buzzards are going to set their sights on the Stonewood clan soon enough, and with a vengeance."

"We can help you here, Mother," Naia offered. "Now that we know these things are real and moving in on our people, we should assist with securing our borders."

"Right now, I think the Stonewood need you more. Don't forget, they're still recovering from the loss of their Maudra and adjusting to a change in tradition. Young Rian is going to need the support and advice of those closest to him, so you should get on the road right away. I'll send the team of warriors I've chosen to investigate the fallen village with you. That way you have more safety in numbers while traveling in the area you saw these beasts, and you can make it to Sammy Thicket by the end of the day from there."

The Drenchen Maudra looked between the twins, and she sighed. "I also want you to carry a message to Maudra Mera for me."

"Of course," agreed Gurjin.

"It would be an honor," added Kylan.

"Tell her for me that it's past time to let bygones be bygones. We buried disagreements for the sake of unity before to fight off the Skeksis, and we're all of us going to have to do it again. Perhaps from now on. We may never be one single clan as our ancestors were before Skeksis came, but we can unite from now on, and stay united. Spriton and Drenchen lands border and overlap one another. We should work together to protect our territory, consider it all as one for the sake of the greater good. She and I should meet soon and discuss how best to do this together."

"Uh, I'm sorry, but I don't think I can remember all that," admitted Gurjin.

"I can," volunteered Kylan. "It was truly inspiring, Maudra Laesid. I will carry your message and your invitation to my Maudra. I'm sure she'll be intrigued by it."

Laesid nodded. "Good lad. Now go and get yourselves ready for your journey. Let the captain of the guard know when you're prepared to depart, and our warriors will go with you."

Naia hesitated, and so did Gurjin. Maudra Laesid gave them each a hug, apparently understanding their reluctance. "We will see each other again. I can handle things here. You just take care of each other."

The siblings looked at each other. There was nothing for it; Laesid was right. They'd done what they came to do, and it was time to do as their Maudra asked.

* * *

Deet was deep in a trance, having departed her body to check in on what the Skeksis were currently doing. She floated through the corridors of the Castle of the Crystal, having become familiarized with it during her sojourns there.

She wasn't alone, this time. Another spirit traveled at her side this time, an ancient one that had seen the birth of the Crystal of Truth and the creation of the Skeksis and Mystics. Aughra had helped Deet learn how to leave her body behind to venture out of the cocoon without leaving it physically. It had allowed the Grottan maiden to check in on her friends and escape her confines when she had the time to do so. Aughra herself rarely joined her; she said that the temptation to leave Thra and explore the universe was strong, and so she limited the time she spent outside of her body.

_"Those poor creatures,"_ remarked Mother Aughra, her voice undetectable to anyone save those in the dream space.

They had passed three drained podling on their way in. Little more than mindless automations now, without souls or purpose, they wandered the halls doing their masters' bidding. Blank of expression, withered and robbed of vitality, even the very young ones appeared aged. It was doubtful they would have reacted to the pair's presence even if they'd been there in their physical bodies.

_"Yes, it's awful," _agreed Deet. _"Their numbers have grown since I last came here. Now the Skeksis are doing the same to Gelfling."_

_"I believe you,"_ assured Aughra. _"So sad. The greed of these vultures knows no bounds. Soon these halls will be full of Gelfling in no better condition than this lot, if this is all from a new extraction method they've started using."_

Deet wasn't sure. It was possible that the results weren't the same when they drained gelfling. In the past, gelfling disintegrated once their essence was extracted from them. Maybe it was different with the podlings because they weren't as connected to Thra as Gelfling kind. That was what they were there to find out, and to try and determine exactly how many gelfling the tyrant overlords had drained so far.

Both astral travelers paused when they got close to the holding cell area, where they believed they would find any live prisoners the Skeksis hadn't already drained. They heard raised gelfling voices, the ominous clicking sounds of the garthim, and the groaning squeal of metal against metal.

They glanced at one another and decided in unison to pick up the pace. It sounded like they had arrived just in time to witness gelfling captives being transferred from the wicker cages on garthim backs to the holding cells.

One garthim was extracting the small, struggling forms from the cage on the back of another one and then dropping them into nearby holding cells. Two skeksis were there as well; the Garthim Master SkekUng and the Ritual Master SkekZok. They both had shocking prods, and they used them to force back any prisoners that tried to get too close to the bars while their garthim placed fresh captures into the pens.

"A most bountiful harvest this time," observed the latter in pleased tones. "I must say, the garthim are more efficient and coordinated since your arrival, SkekUng. The Emperor chose wisely when he sent for you."

The Garthim Master snorted, and the spurs of his metal foot covers struck sparks on the stone as he paced before the cells, eyeing the prisoners with menacing scrutiny. "Soon their numbers will be great enough to expand the harvesting and begin moving in on Gelfling capitals. We will crush them before a trine passes."

"Hmm. I still think the Chamberlain's idea of keeping some intact for breeding has its merits." SkekZok looked around at their bounty, doing a head count. "He was right about one thing, at least; once the gelfling are gone, we have no reliable source for essence."

"Bah, Chamberlain's proposal is unrealistic," argued SkekUng with a scowl. The plates of armor beneath his robes rattled as he approached his companion and stopped beside him to watch as the last of their most recent catch was tossed into a cell. He slammed the gate closed and locked it, ignoring the pleas, questions and demands of the gelfling inside.

"In order to conduct this 'breeding program' the Chamberlain suggested, we would have to choose a location to keep the herd in and someone would have to stay there to oversee it. Your crystal bats would need to be roosted nearby and constantly surveying for possible escapees. Some of my garthim would have to be stationed there as well, to keep order and prevent any rescue attempts by other gelfling."

"Yes, it does sound quite inconvenient," mused SkekZok. "At least until we cull their population to a manageable level. SkekTek is right about conserving, though, I think. He supports the Chamberlain's ideas on how to preserve enough Gelfling for future harvesting for that very reason."

"We haven't reached a point yet where such preservation is necessary," SkekUng pointed out, "and the Emperor is wise to ration the essence and store what we don't immediately need. It could be many trine before our stores begin to dry out if we continue storing the surplus from each harvest as we have."

"I wonder."

The Garthim Master scowled, and he favored his companion with a challenging stare. "What are you going on about? Spit it out."

SkekZok gave a disjointed shrug. "Moderation is good in theory but let's be honest; when it comes to essence, Skeksis aren't models of self-restraint. Most of us finish our ration vials as soon as they are issued to us. The Emperor himself gets twice the rations we do; perhaps even more that we aren't aware of."

"He is our Emperor," reminded SkekUng. "His station affords some perks. Of course he would get more."

"I have no argument with that," assured SkekZok. "My point is that once you taste that exquisite nectar, you always want more. I wonder how long we can reasonable keep up the practice of conserving our harvests. Surely you can't disagree with that."

"Meh, so we indulge ourselves more than necessary from time to time. SkekTek is the one in charge of managing the inventory and doling out rations. If someone in our ranks—such as that gluttonous SkekAyuk, for example—manages to filch more than their share, it will be on the Scientist's head. I for one can control myself."

SkekZok looked dubious, but he didn't argue. His attention was diverted from his companion when one of the gelfling in the cell before them came to the forefront. He was wearing the uniform of a Citadel paladin, and his hair was pale, long and streaked through with red hues. He was silent, unlike his companions, but he was staring their captors down with a boldness and determination that seemed to intrigue SkekZok.

"Let us go," shouted a Vapran woman near the paladin. "You were allowed to leave with your lives from Stone in the Wood, but you'll get no such mercy in the future if you don't release us!"

"Don't bother," advised the paladin, still staring up at their captors with an odd blend of resignation and anger in his hooded amber gaze. "Pleading, threatening or attempting to negotiate with these creatures is useless. My lady already tried to reason with them once, to no avail. Save your strength, Missus."

"Prince Vaurin?" she gasped.

One of the two undetected witnesses in the room gasped and put an incorporeal hand to her mouth. Her companion looked at her with motherly concern.

_"All Maudra Seladon's husband," _Deet explained urgently, now recognizing the defiant male standing in that cell. She looked around frantically, now wondering if she would find Seladon herself amongst the prisoners. She didn't, and for a moment Deet wondered if the Skeksis had already captured and drained the Vapran leader before she and Aughra arrived. Deet dismissed that possibility quickly though, because she would have been able to detect Seladon's absence in the flow if she were already drained or dead.

"'Prince' Vaurin?" repeated SkekZok with growing intrigue. He bent over to peer more closely at the gelfling in question, and a smile formed on his beaked mouth. "Ahh, I remember this one, now. So hard to tell them apart at times, but Red has some distinctive markings and coloring. His aura feels as strong as ever."

"So you know this one," reasoned SkekUng. "Is there some significance to that. Don't tell me you wish to keep it as a pet."

"Why would I do that?"

The Garthim Master shrugged. "You seem fond of it."

"Oh, I am," agreed SkekZok, "but not out of any attachment to his physical form. It's the strength of his essence that interests me. He was once a paladin, a volunteer for what they believed to be a defensive campaign against the Arathim."

The Ritual Master loomed closer, studying Vaurin with even greater interest and practically drooling. "But you are more than a guard now, aren't you? That one called you a 'prince'."

Vaurin stayed silent, holding his ground though a faint tremble could be detected from him.

"Which princess did you wed? Was it the clever one that our Scroll Keeper took a shine to? Or was it the one that fancied herself a Skeksis and offered up her own to us? Which is it, Red? The book worm or the traitor?"

Vaurin reacted at last, throwing himself against the bars, reaching through them with surprising speed and grabbing the bottom of the ornate collar of SkekZok's robe. The Ritual Master and his companion were too shocked to react immediately.

"Don't," said the paladin through his teeth, "talk about her that way. As if any of you lot has room to talk about who's a 'traitor'."

The Garthim Master regained his composure quickly, and Vaurin cried out as he prodded him, sending a shock through him strong enough to make his knees buckle. As his fellow prisoners helped him back to his feet, SkekZok smoothed his robes and looked faintly embarrassed. Fortunately, his companion seemed to lack a sense of humor and didn't make fun of him for being briefly manhandled by a puny gelfling.

"Yes, I was right about you," said the Ritual Master after collecting his dignity. He smiled down at Vaurin, but this time he prudently avoided bending over too closely, staying out of reach. "You escaped once, but not again. I'll ensure the ambrosia of your essence will be _mine_ to savor. I haven't asked a boon of our Emperor for some time, so I'm sure he'll grant my request to reserve your harvest for my own consumption."

SkekZok turned to his companion. "Have this one prepared. I want to see him drained myself."

"You don't think he would make a decent bargaining chip for us?" questioned SkekUng. "If he _is_ mated to the All Maudra, he could be used as a hostage to stamp out resistance in Ha'rar. Make our claiming of that territory go smoother."

Unseen by the two Skeksis since they were now looking at each other rather than at him, Vaurin's face drained of color. Deet's would have as well if she were in her flesh and blood body. In her outburst of surprise, that Vapran lady had given away Vaurin's identity and possibly provided the Skeksis with an even greater advantage to use.

"You are assuming the All Maudra would trade her throne for the sake of one gelfling," explained SkekZok with a shrug. "Understandable, since you weren't here to witness our final meeting with her."

"I've heard enough about it," answered SkekUng dismissively. "She was desperate and weak, throwing her people to our mercy for the sake of her own hide. That doesn't mean she would do the same with her own mate. You said she offered her people in exchange for the protection of her sisters, yes?"

SkekZok nodded. "She did."

"Then don't you think she might be willing to do the same for him?" He gestured at the angry paladin behind the bars.

SkekZok faltered, and he gave Vaurin a thoughtful look. "Perhaps. The All Maudra did seem to at least have a care for her family, if no-one else."

"Then you ought to re-think your plan to drain him immediately. Pitiful as they are, the gelfling have Har'ar too well defended for us to conduct a full assault on it at this time. You could trade this male to his wife in exchange for the surrender of Ha'rar. Whether the Vapra leave their territory in exile or stay as our servants, it makes no difference. They'll all be drained eventually, but forcing their cooperation would speed along our plans."

"Careful," advised SkekZok, "you're beginning to sound like SkekSil with this plotting."

"Don't dare insult me that way," growled SkekUng. "I am nothing like that whimpering Chamberlain. I'm simply pointing out a strategic advantage, as is my duty as keeper of the garthim."

"As you wish," conceded SkekZok, ever the diplomat when dealing with peers that he knew to be physically stronger than himself. "I'm simply surprised, since war tactics are usually your dominion and politics aren't...eh...your forte."

"It's not that difficult to see the benefit," grumbled SkekUng. "If the All Maudra was willing to sacrifice her own for the sake of herself and her family, she would do the same for her mate."

"No, she wouldn't," Vaurin called. When they looked at him, he bore an expression of calm certainty on his face. "Seladon would never agree to such a trade."

"You say that with such conviction," mused SkekZok, eyeing the paladin shrewdly, "but I think your love for her blinds you to what she is."

"She is a leader," insisted Vaurin firmly, "and my love for her has no bearing on hers for me."

In the background Deet was dismayed to hear him say such a thing, and she shook her head.

_"That isn't true,"_ she insisted to Mother Aughra, _"How can he believe that Seladon doesn't love him as much as—"_

_"It's a ruse, child,"_ Aughra explained, staring at Vaurin thoughtfully. _"Listen with your heart and not your ears, gentle Deet. The boy doesn't truly believe what he's saying. The skeksis might be incapable of noticing since they know nothing of true loyalty, only treachery. We can hope, at least."_

Deet took her advice and watched Vaurin more carefully as the Garthim Master demanded an explanation. Mother Aughra was right; though the paladin spoke with such matter-of-fact conviction, there was something beneath the surface. Perhaps Vaurin did believe that his wife wouldn't trade their people's freedom for his life, but it wouldn't be due to a lack of love for him.

He talked about their union like it was nothing more than a political arrangement, but all the while, he praised the All Maudra's strength and devotion to her clan.

"Seladon took me as her mate to secure the lineage," explained Vaurin. "She needed a husband to give her heirs, and I was already conveniently besotted with her. She isn't the All Maudra you think you know, despite how cold our courtship might sound. She is determined to protect Gelfling and whatever fondness she may harbor for me won't be enough to convince her to simply give up Ha'rar to you. She would sacrifice me first, and it won't be as hard a decision as you think. One gelfling life for the sake of many. The choice, for her, would be simple."

"I would think most gelfling would try to convince us otherwise," theorized SkekZok, "out of self preservation. Even if what you say is true, why would you tell us so, knowing it leaves us with no incentive not to drain you?"

Vaurin's expression remained resolved, and only the faint quiver in his body betrayed whatever fear he might be experiencing. "Because it would only stall the inevitable. Once you find out you can't use me as a bargaining tool, you'll drain or outright kill me anyhow. I don't see the point in delaying it, living in anticipation of my end during the short respite I might buy for myself."

"I can't decide if he's brave or just suicidal," remarked SkekUng. "Or maybe just stupid."

"No, this one isn't stupid," insisted SkekZok. He leaned in and reached out to grasp Vaurin's chin, and the gelfling didn't resist or try to attack him. "Foolish in his convictions perhaps, but that isn't the same as being simple-minded. Brave creature. Pity I can't keep him as a pet as you suggested earlier, because this sort of loyalty is what we are lacking. He's too willful to be trained though, and would ultimately just prove to be a threat and a thorn in my side."

"Then do what you will," stated Vaurin, jerking his face out of the Ritual Master's grasp. "Have your fun and be done with it."

"Aren't you full of spunk," chuckled SkekZok. "Believe me, gelfling; I _will_ have my fun. I can't keep you as a pet, but I will have your essence. I'll keep it safe and cherished until the time comes to savor every drop."

"You're so eager for this gelfling's essence, but you would procrastinate drinking it?" SkekUng seemed confused.

"I always save the best for last," answered the Ritual Master succinctly. "That's the reward in any decent ceremony, don't you think? When we've conquered all Gelfling and rule Thra uncontested, I will celebrate with a hearty meal and a goblet full of this one's essence. It will be divine."

SkekZok smiled again, and then he whirled away. "Take him now to the chamber and prepare him. I will seek audience with our Emperor with my request in the meantime. Tell SkekTek not to begin the draining process until I'm present. I want to witness the event myself."

SkekZok turned again, looked at Vaurin and presented a parting thought. "Perhaps using him as a bargaining tool is still an option, but it would be easier to manage his empty husk. After all, we only need his breathing body, don't we? I can vow not to drink his essence in exchange for Ha'rar. If the All Maudra is as resolved in her duty to her people as he claims, it won't make a difference. If not, she might still be willing to surrender in exchange for the chance to restore him. Not that I intend to give up my prize, but we can always dangle the bait."

Evidently, SkekUng approved of the idea. "Devious. I like it. Too bad gelfling make horrible slaves even after they've been drained, but at least SkekTek still finds a use for them."

"SkekTek can keep his claws and experiments off my prize," insisted the Ritual Master firmly. "This one isn't for him. At least until we've confirmed that we have no use for his husk intact and I've grown bored with it."

SkekUng shrugged indifferently. He looked to one of his garthim, standing still as a statue and seemingly lifeless since performing its last duty. "Awake, and take this one to the Scientist's chamber."

* * *

_"Mother Aughra, what do we do?"_

The ancient being shook her head grimly. _"Poor, brave child. Aughra cannot help him. Aughra cannot stop this, and neither can you, Deet."_

_"But we _must_ try! We can't just sit back and do nothing!"_

_"Think you can materialize out of dream space and wrestle Skeksis into submission, hmm?"_

_"Well no, I...I can't actually touch anything in this state, but—"_

_"Deet, listen to Aughra," _said the other firmly, cupping the fretting Grottan's face in her astral hands, _"We cannot save Prince Vaurin this day, but there is still hope for him...and for the rest. SkekZok says he won't drink the boy's essence right away. There may yet be a way to restore him, even if we cannot heal the Crystal of Truth for some time. For now, best you go with him. Try to reach him and comfort him. When they take his essence, you follow them. Find out where Skeksis keep what they've stolen, and mark it well."_

Deet couldn't understand how that would help right now, but she trusted Mother Aughra's wisdom. She was too upset to determine what the ancient might be planning. _"What will _you_ do, Mother Aughra?"_

_"I will return to my body and begin a journey from my home," _answered Aughra. _"The sooner I go, the better."_

_"Are you going to try and convince the Mystics to help again?"_

_"Harumph. There will be no help from that lot. Not for a generation or two of Gelfling, anyway...and that's assuming enough of you are left by then. Aughra will go to Ha'rar, where my council is going to be needed the most in days to come. Stone in the Wood is yours to watch over."_

The weight of her emotions was dragging on Deet. It made it difficult to focus on what she had to do, and she honestly didn't know how she was going to get through watching what was going to happen, being powerless to stop it. It stirred a primal sort of anger in her, like that feeling she'd gotten when she absorbed and reflected the Darkening back at the Skeksis in Stone in the Wood.

She had to find a way, though. She had to find the strength, because if she failed, there might be no hope for Vaurin at all.

* * *

He fought with everything he had, even when he injured himself in his struggles. The garthim dropped him into what would soon be his execution chair, and Vaurin thrashed and kicked when the muttering Scientist began to restrain him.

"Help me with this one," snapped SkekTek to the Garthim Master. "He's as slippery as an eel."

"Weakling," grumbled SkekUng disdainfully, but he pushed the thinner skeksis aside. "Out of my way, then. I can handle one small—aarrgh! It bit me!"

SkekUng yanked his smarting hand away, shaking it with a hiss. He glared at Vaurin with red, angry eyes and then he put his other hand around the gelfling's throat.

"Stop, you'll kill him," protested SkekTek when Vaurin began to choke.

"Feral little mongrel," roared SkekUng. "It would be a better death than it deserves! Muzzle it, Scientist. If it bites me again, I'll gut one of your pets as recompense!"

Vaurin heard the Scientist rustling around for something. Fighting for air, he didn't relent in his struggles. Perhaps he wouldn't meet his end through the oblivion of having everything he was consumed, after all. If he could anger the one holding him down enough, it might snap his neck and spoil SkekZok's plans for him. He could return to Thra, avoiding a fate worse than death.

"Hurry it up," barked SkekUng. "Is this one Drenchen? It's absurdly strong for a Vapran."

"Not Drenchen," confirmed SkekTek. "Perhaps the mighty Garthim Master isn't as strong as he thinks."

"Don't tempt me to demonstrate what I could do to a scrawny wretch like you," threatened SkekUng.

Vaurin tried to resist as his head was grasped, and he clenched his jaw. Eventually they pried it open, and a gag was fit into his mouth. Fatigued from his struggles and the injuries he'd sustained in his capture, Vaurin couldn't stop them from clamping his wrists and ankles down. Another clamp went around his head like a vice, keeping him from turning it.

Both skeksis were winded by the time they had him secured, and Vaurin felt some small triumph in that. At least he hadn't made it easy on them. Breathing heavily, he began to silently pray. He implored Thra to keep his family safe, to guide his daughter into the world and let her grow up healthy and happy. He prayed for his wife to find strength and comfort in Thra's light, for her to keep a part of him with her always and never forget that he loved her.

The chair swiveled into place, and Vaurin tensed when it positioned him to face an open panel on the wall. The fiery red glow lit up the chamber, and gears grinded as the Scientist's machine started up. SkekTek didn't activate it yet, though. Vaurin could see through the reflection cast in the panel that the dark crystal was still suspended, not yet being lowered.

Another presence entered the chamber with a swish of robes, and he heard SkekZok speak to the other two. "Ah, excellent. My thanks for waiting on me. The Emperor has agreed to grant my request, which means I have exclusive claim to this gelfling's essence. Unfortunately, SkekTek, I can't allow you to use the remains for your research. We need them whole and undamaged for now...well cared for. Preserved, even. Do you think you can manage that?"

There was a moment's hesitation. "That depends. Explain what you mean."

"I mean the withering," answered SkekZok. "Is it possible to drain him without leaving the husk behind completely emaciated? The Emperor wishes it."

"But why?"

SkekZok stepped into Vaurin's peripheral vision. The paladin could feel his eyes on him.

"Because there may be further use for him after the extraction. Emperor SkekSo wants him to still be easily recognizable to his kin, if at all possible. That's all you need to know."

The Scientist muttered under his breath about how little he was appreciated, and then he spoke aloud. "While it's an...intriguing thought, I can offer no guarantees. I could stop the process prematurely to prevent the worst of the withering, but that would mean an incomplete harvest. The gelfling would retain some of his essence, unlike the others."

SkekTek walked around into Vaurin's view, studying him, his artificial eye flicking and rolling. "He might prove to be the first gelfling subject capable of following directives after a draining. The timing is crucial, as well. If I succeed, he would provide quite a unique specimen to study and—"

"No experiments," reiterated SkekZok, "at least, not for a while. Can you do it, or can't you?"

SkekTek shrugged. "We shall see. Start the machine and stand back."

Vaurin didn't completely understand what they were talking about, but it sounded like their goal was not to consign him to complete oblivion. He couldn't decide if that was better or worse than not existing at all. He didn't want some partial life, able to see and hear what was going on around him but not to act. Vaurin had already experienced such a nightmare when he was under the thrall of the Arathim.

He renewed his struggles, though he knew he didn't have the strength to break free of the chair. His body trembled as the crystal was moved into position, and it was purely survival instinct that gave him the impulse at the last moment to shut his eyes tightly. He could feel the heat of the purple beam, see the glow of it even behind his eyelids, but he didn't feel himself weakening or otherwise being affected.

"What is it doing?" SkekUng asked in the background. "Nothing is happening."

"Is the machine defective?" wondered SkekZok.

Vaurin heard someone come up beside him, and then a click of a tongue. "Hmph. Clever creature. He closed his eyes."

"The beam can't drain it unless it looks?"

SkekTek sighed. "It will drain him, but more slowly. None of the others ever did this."

"So pry them open," suggested the Garthim Master. "We don't have all night."

SkekTek got behind the chair, and Vaurin's face scrunched up as the Scientist's bony fingers pressed against his brow and beneath his eyes. He fought against it, but he couldn't keep his eyes closed for long. The moment they were forced open a slit, Vaurin was caught in the beam, unable to look away. His eyes widened, and his jaw began to slacken. He felt a song vibrating within him, compelling him to let go of everything.

_"Vaurin, you aren't alone."_

He thought he was just imagining the voice, or that it was the crystal somehow speaking to him in his head. It his swoon, it took him a moment to recognize the female voice. It wasn't Thra speaking to him, but a gelfling he thought he might never see or hear from again.

"D...Deet?"

_"I'm here. It's me. Prince Vaurin, think of your family. Think of your memories of them. Fight it. I don't know how, but we'll find a way to heal the crystal and bring all of you back! I promise! Don't lose hope. I won't leave you."_

It did bring him some comfort, even if he was just having a fever dream. The pain of the extraction needles piercing his back was distant to Vaurin, dulled by the feeling of slipping away. It hurt more than being skewered to see his own memories fading away to nothing, and even more painful than that was the knowledge that he would never see his loved ones again.

"M-my wife," he gasped. "Tell her...I fought. T-tell my daughter...tell Rhue that...I...that I..."

His train of thought was rapidly depleting, and all Vaurin could picture clearly in his thoughts now was Seladon's lovely face. A tear trickled down his cheek, and then the feeling of regret, of sorrow, began to fade with the rest of it.

_"I'll tell them," _swore Deet, her voice sounding tearful. _"They'll know how brave you were. You...you'll see them again. I'll find a way!"_

Her words made no sense to Vaurin anymore. Who was this maiden speaking to him, and who was she talking about? Who was _he_? There was only one name left to him now that meant anything to him, and he clung to it like a lifeline.

"Seladon..."

* * *

How was it possible to weep tears without a physical body? Even in her astral form, Deet could feel them etching trails down her cheeks. Vaurin was gone; at least, _most_ of him was gone. Unlike the others, there was some small spark of him left. As Deet wept for him, the Scientist shut the machine down and examined the now still, blank-faced paladin.

Vaurin's face was gaunter from the draining and the brightest streaks of red in his hair were now dulled to a light pink. His eyes were smudged as if with exhaustion, faintly sunken now and covered in a milky white film, apparently sightless. Other than that, he was still recognizable as the All Maudra's husband.

"Well?" SkekZok asked after a moment. "Did it work?"

"Hmm." SkekTek looked the gelfling over carefully, and then he went to the phial that had collected Vaurin's essence. He lifted it for inspection, and there was satisfaction in his tone as he finally answered.

"Only three fourth's full. I believe this was a success. The subject has just enough essence remaining to retain some vitality, and perhaps even a semblance of awareness. At least enough to follow simple orders, like the podling slaves here. A simple enough thing to test out."

The Scientist turned the chair back around and released the clamps binding Vaurin to the chair. He gestured invitingly at SkekZok. "You should do the honors, Ritual Master. After all, you hold a special interest in him."

"Very well. Paladin, stand. Rise for your master and come to me."

There was no response at first, so SkekZok tried again, apparently unwilling to give up on his interest in keeping the gelfling as his personal pet. "Obey me. To me!"

"Perhaps if you use the gelfling's name," suggested SkekTek after the paladin only turned his head slightly in SkekZok's direction.

"Why? We don't use names with the podling slaves."

"But as we already know," reasoned the Scientist, "drained gelfling behave differently from the podlings. If he does indeed have a sense of self remaining, he may respond to his name."

"Uh, what was it?" fumed SkekZok, scratching his head. "I can never recall what these blasted gelfling call themselves. It started with a V, I think."

"Don't look at me for answers," grunted the Garthim Master when his associate glanced his way. "I can't even tell the males from the females. I don't bother with their names."

"Well if you'll excuse me," said SkekTek, "I must put this vial away. I will return to check on the progress afterwards."

"Yes," said SkekZok with a nod. "Be certain to give it a distinctive label, so that it doesn't get confused with the other swill we have stored."

Deet was loathe to leave Vaurin alone, but she reminded herself that most of Vaurin was now in the hands of the Scientist, and not in his body. It was essential that she follow SkekTek to learn where he stored not only Vaurin's essence, but the essence of the other gelfling victims that hadn't yet been consumed.

"Vapor?" muttered SkekZok, still trying to recall the name of his new "pet". "Vault? Vapra? No, that's the name of the clan he serves, not a given name. Hmm. Was it...Valiant? Tch, too pretentious. There was an 'r' in there somewhere, I'm sure of it. Vera? That sounds close..."

"I'm going back to my garthim," grumbled SkekUng in disgust. "All this trouble for the sake of an exotic pet. You should just select one of the podlings."

Deet began to follow SkekTek, fearful of lagging behind and losing sight of him. She froze and floated in place with wide eyes when the Scientist suddenly paused, turned and scowled. For a split second, Deet thought he looked right at her. His gaze moved on, scanning the chamber suspiciously before he resumed walking again.

"Must be a draft," murmured SkekTek.

SkekZok was still mumbling to himself in search of a name when they exited the chamber.

* * *

-To be continued


	10. Chapter 10

The second dawn since the garthim attack brought with it no hopeful news. Led by Captain Nethrid, the paladins attempted a search and rescue mission to bring back Prince Vaurin and the other gelfling captured in the raid. It was to no avail. As quickly as they attempted to mobilize, by the time they picked up the trail the rain had washed most of it away. The captain reported to Seladon with clear regret once she reached a conclusion.

"Forgive me, All Maudra, but the enemy has a great lead on us. The trail ran cold last night, and the best we can determine is that they are heading to the Castle of the Crystal."

"Then you should have pursued them," admonished Seladon, but there was no bite to it. Her anger had burned and sputtered out. She'd felt her mate's light fade out. Vaurin was dead, and her eyes were swollen from crying. She was sick from vomiting, and all the comfort in the world her younger sister tried to give her was useless. Were it not for the baby she carried, Seladon would have considered taking a draught that would put her to sleep, never to wake again.

"We were already drifting into Skeksis territory when the trail was lost," explained the captain. "In addition, a swarm of crystal bats came in from the south. The Skeksis would have known we were coming, even if we could be certain the garthim were returning to their place of origin. My deepest regrets, my lady, but the best we could have hoped for if we caught up to our quarry would be to break the cages on their backs and do our best to help the prisoners flee. We currently have no effective means to fight those creatures."

Seladon closed her eyes, and she felt her sister's hand squeeze hers. How had her beloved paladin died? Did he succumb to injuries sustained while holding the garthim off? Did he suffer the same fate as his father, shorn nearly in half by a monstrous pincher? Or worse; did they drain him and consume his essence so that no part of him remained to return to Thra?

"My lady..."

"You are excused," Brea said in Seladon's stead when the All Maudra put a hand to her forehead and fought a fresh wave of grief. "Thank you for the report, Captain."

Nethrid didn't question. She gave a respectful bow, and she turned on her heel to exit the chamber. Once the high born sisters were alone in the throne room together, the moments of silence stretched on between them until Seladon drew a shaken sigh.

"I must find the strength to go on," she informed Brea. "I can't afford to fall apart now, not when the Skeksis have made it abundantly clear that they don't intend to stop. They mean to wipe Gelfling off the face of Thra; at least on this continent. Now they have taken my mate—"

"Seladon, you can't be sure of that," argued Brea.

The All Maudra looked at her younger sibling, staring her down with reddened eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You don't understand the depth of the pair bond, sister. It's deeper than mere words can express. He became a part of me, and I became a part of him in turn. We were so connected after the bond that we could feel each other's pain and emotions."

Seladon leaned over the armrest of her throne, affixing the other female with a burning stare, willing her to understand. Her voice roughed, raised in pitch and broke as she made one final, damning statement.

"I felt his light go out. Do you understand? I _felt_ it, Brea, and it was like dying myself when it happened. I collapsed, and when I came too, it was as a diminished gelfling. Part of me is gone. Forever. Gone with...my love..."

Tears filled Brea's eyes as the enormity of what Seladon was telling her finally sunk in. She reached out to embrace her sister as the last remaining thread of her composure snapped and an agonized sound of loss reverberated in her throat.

"I'm sorry," whispered Brea, hugging her tightly as Seladon broke down. She stroked her hair in an attempt to comfort, sniffing. "So sorry, sister. He is...he was...an amazing gelfling."

Seladon couldn't speak. No praise that anyone could give Vaurin would ever be enough. Brave, loyal, generous, patient and kind were all likely words people would use to describe him. He was so much more than all of that, though. Vaurin was also a savior. _Her_ savior. He had freed Seladon from the invisible prison she'd walled herself up in. He'd shown her what he saw in her, and in seeing herself through his eyes, she had learned to forgive and love herself again.

But now, that was gone. All that remained of her love was the spark they'd created together, growing in her womb. For that life, that small part of him that survived in their daughter, Seladon had to find a way to carry on.

And so help her Thra, she would discover how her husband met his end, and she would avenge him.

* * *

Rian went to see Deet alone this time, one day sooner than planned. He wanted to honor their agreement and respect her need for space. Deet wasn't just isolating herself to be a recluse. He knew she wanted more than anything to see her clan, her family and her friends again. To be with them and share the warmth of touch and laughter. The work she was doing was more important than anyone's personal desires, though.

He stopped before the Tangle, looking up at the expansive dome, eerily highlighted by the three full moons above. Rian hesitated, the wooden nurloc that would serve as his key through the tangle clutched in his hands. He glanced back at the darkened path he'd traversed through the forest, and he wondered if he was making a mistake.

He'd retired early tonight, exhausted and sorrowful from a long day of discussing matters of defense and retaliation with the Stonewood council. Gurjin, Naia and Kylan had returned from their journey at sundown, and the news that they imparted was too grave to be ignored.

The garthim were beginning to move in on both Drenchen and Spriton territory. There was devastating proof of that now, and nobody doubted Rian's warnings anymore. If the Skeksis were willing and able to send them that far south to start new hostilities, they could strike out at Stonewood territory any day now.

With those thoughts strongly in his mind, Rian had trouble falling asleep even though he was beyond tired. Somehow he drifted off into slumber, only to be awoken by an insistent cry in his head, a vision of Deet as if hovering over him, trying to shake him awake but unable to touch him. She told him to come and see her, that she had important news to give to him and it couldn't wait.

So here he was, standing indecisively at the base of the living prison Deet had fashioned to cut herself off from the world. Had she really come to him in his dreams, or was it just his wishful heart making him imagine things?

"Well," reasoned the prince of Stone in the Wood, "there's only one way to find out. I can't stand out here all night debating it."

Besides if he was wrong, Rian was confident that Deet would forgive him an unannounced visit once he explained why he'd come. Rian held up the nurloc toy close to the edge of the tangle, feeling silly as always for doing it. He spoke his love interest's name. A tunnel parted before him almost as soon as the name left his lips. Like he'd been expected.

Feeling more confident, Rian stepped into the tunnel and made his way through it to the end. Deet wasn't sitting in her meditation pose as if she'd been in the middle of her workings. She was standing and pacing in little circles when Rian entered the dome. She looked up from the ground when he spoke her name again, and she rushed to him without word or warning.

"What's wrong?" asked Rian, a little breathless from her sudden, tight hug of greeting. "Deet...you're trembling."

"When we dreamfast," she said against his ear, "you'll understand why. I can't possibly explain everything I've seen with words alone."

A chill went through Rian, but he stroked her wings gently, more concerned at the moment with her distress. "Of course, Deet. Whatever it is, I promise you that we'll find a way to make it all right."

Deet sighed, her dark, soft eyes full of doubt and worry. "I'm not sure that's a promise you can make, Rian. What if—"

He kissed her then, an impulse he could no longer seem to curb when she was near him. Rian tempered the kiss, keeping it chaste, tender and protective. It was hard to pull away when he sensed her calming down, but he reminded himself that the purpose of this spontaneous visit wasn't to strengthen their courtship.

"Don't think about what may happen," he advised her softly after breaking the kiss. "I think it's best for us to plan how to counter whatever the Skeksis do next than wonder about the future if we should fail. We can't consider failure, Deet. It would demoralize us. We have to be determined, no matter how bleak things might seem."

He smirked without humor. "Even as I say this, I realize I might have a different attitude after you've dreamfasted with me and shown me what you've seen. I just don't want you to lose hope. You're all that's truly keeping the Darkening at bay, and you must believe in yourself."

Deet closed her eyes, took a breath and nodded. "All right. Let's sit down and I'll share what I've learned with you. I also want you to carry a message back to the others from me, if you would. I mean a personal message, from me to them."

"Absolutely," Rian promised, squeezing her hands. "What is the message about?"

She heaved a calming sigh again before answering. She opened her eyes to gaze up at him, and she spoke like one who had reached a difficult decision. "I'm ready for them to know the truth about where I've been and what I've been doing. My friends, my family, the gelfling we fought alongside with. Everyone. You can dreamfast with anyone that doubts you and show them the truth."

He nodded slowly. "Are you sure? There may be added pressure on you as a consequence."

"I'm sure," she assured him. "I want my family to know I'm alive and well, so I'm not just doing this for you. I have selfish reasons. I also...want to feel more like I'm a part of the resistance again, not just some bystander. I can't be there in the flesh, but this way I feel like I'm more involved, and you can freely discuss things with others and share suggestions they might have to offer me."

"That might prove a bit difficult," Rian warned. "Some gelfling would want to see you in person. I _know_ Princess Brea would, at the very least."

Deet smiled in a wistful manner. "Yes, and I would love to see her again too. I...I miss her. I think Brea became the closest thing to a sister I've ever had. Rian, I'm sorry to place this burden on you, but I ask you to make it clear that it's dangerous for me to leave this place, and I can't have visitors coming and going at all times, either."

"I understand." He nodded, and he forced a smile. "You're a very important lady."

Deet blushed charmingly, dropping her eyes. "I didn't mean to imply that."

Rian's heart skipped a beat. He reached out to trace her dirt smudged, pixie-like features. "I wasn't trying to mock you, and I know you don't _see_ yourself as important. That's what's so special about you. All of this power and knowledge you have, and yet you're still humble and guileless, pure of heart. Not even the Darkening could corrupt a heart like yours, Deet."

It was on the tip of Rian's tongue to propose to her, to lay his heart bare and tell her that he couldn't do this thing without her. Couldn't be a leader to his people without a mate like her at his side. Someone warm and wise, patient and funny and brave.

This was absolutely the wrong time for such endeavors, though. It was selfish of him to even consider it when their very world hung in the balance, and Deet still had something important to share with him.

Seeing her staring at him with a softened expression on her face, Rian sternly reminded himself of the purpose of this visit. He glanced to the side and cleared his throat. "Forgive me. I was rambling, and I know you don't have much time to spare."

Deet smiled again, laughing a little shyly. "It's all right. It's flattering, really. The prince of Stone In the Wood thinks that I'm an Important Lady. Not every Grottan maiden could say that."

Rian smiled in amusement. "Well, I'm more of an 'accidental prince' than someone born and raised to be one." He sighed, sobering. "I'm ready, Deet. Show me what you saw, so that I can carry news of it to the clans."

She too became somber, and she offered her hand palm-up to him. "It's going to be difficult to see," she warned. "Much worse than the last time, because you won't just be witnessing the result of the Skeksis new way of harvesting essence. You'll be seeing the process itself being done to someone we know and care about."

Rian nodded, swallowing his misgivings. "I've already seen someone I love fall victim to the draining. It won't be anything I haven't seen before."

Deet held his gaze, her dark eyes grave and sorrowful. "Yes it will, Rian. This is something that none of us have ever seen before. Think of the state of those podling victims I showed you in the last vision."

He grimaced, realizing she was right. Perhaps there was no way to be sufficiently prepared for this dreamfast, but he had to see for himself and share the experience with others, if the threat was to be taken seriously. Gelfling had sat complacent for too long before acting to defend themselves, because nobody wanted to believe the Lords of the Crystal were anything but benevolent.

Time to peel the blinders back further, no matter the emotional cost. Rian touched his hand to Deet's and braced himself.

* * *

Seladon stroked a hand over her lower abdomen as she sat in the rocking chair beside the window overlooking Ha'rar. She spent most of her time alone in her chambers now, finding some solace in the lingering presence of her husband and the memories of time they'd shared together in this room.

She had lost count of the days since that horrible moment when she felt her life mate's spark fade from the world. Sometimes, she thought she could still detect it like a weak pulse or a flutter of breath, but she tried to be realistic about it. A part of Vaurin had merged with her during their pair bonding, and the child she carried was also imbued with her father's spirit. That must be what Seladon kept sensing, like a tickle at the edge of her consciousness.

"He will live," whispered Seladon to her unborn, "through you. I know your name now, Rhue. It's a fine name, and I have no doubt you'll grow to be as beautiful as your father was handsome."

She sighed, her throat tightening and fresh tears welling in her eyes. Her daughter could favor both parents, or she could be the spitting image of one of them, or she wouldn't look like either of them at all. Gelfling weren't born exact copies of their bearers, after all. Something told Seladon that Rhue was going to strongly favor her father in looks, and that was going to be hard on Seladon's heart. On the one hand, she would see her husband clearly in her daughter each day, but on the other, it would serve as a constant, painful reminder of her loss.

She could only pray to Thra that she would be a good mother, and that she would never allow her heartache prevent her from raising the childling with all the love and affection she could spare. One of Seladon's greatest fears when contemplating parenthood was that she would expect too much of her offspring and give too little of herself. She understood the pain of constantly seeking approval from a parental figure that seemed detached, a mother that rarely offered praise and even more rarely shared affection.

Seladon never wanted to be that sort of mother, even though she knew in her heart that she would never be able to match her sister Brea in kindness and generosity. Her daughter would not, however, grow up lacking hugs and kisses from her mother. Seladon was determined to ensure that.

A knock on her chamber door pulled the All Maudra's thoughts out of the pensive trap they'd fallen into. She gave a little start, wiped at her eyes to erase evidence of her tears and steadied her emotions.

"Enter."

Captain Nethrid opened the door, stepped in and bowed to her. "All Maudra, forgive the interruption of your private time. A very important messenger has come to seek audience with you. I thought it best not to wait."

Seladon stood up slowly, unable to determine if it was hope or dread that was spreading through her body at the news. "Go on. Who is this messenger you speak of?"

"Mother Aughra," answered the captain. "She awaits you in the audience chamber, and she has someone with her that...well, I can't find the words to explain."

For one wild, heart-stopping moment, Seladon wondered if she was going to go downstairs to find her prince miraculously alive and well in the company of the ancient guardian. That wasn't possible, though. She'd have felt his presence like a ray of sunshine piercing the gloom of a cloudy day if Vaurin were there.

"Try," she urged, walking over to her wardrobe to decide on something to change into. It wouldn't do for her to greet Mother Aughra in her night gown, after all. "I don't like guessing games, Nethrid. Who is in the company of Mother Aughra? Some important gelfling figure from another clan? Perhaps from another clan we haven't yet heard of?"

"No, they aren't gelfling," answered the captain. Her brow knitted beneath her helmet. "One of them appears...to be Skeksis. The other—"

Seladon whirled to face the taller female, and two bright spots of color grew on her cheeks. Her blood practically boiled in a sudden fit of rage. "Turn it away. I will have no filthy Skeksis setting foot in my citadel."

"All Maudra, please—"

"I said turn it away," growled Seladon. "This is the final insult. They dare to murder my husband and then have the gall to come here and gloat about it to my face? Slaughter the thing. Cut it into pieces and scatter then throughout Thra. We'll see how immortal the creature is after that."

"It isn't one of the skeksis from the castle," provided Nethrid hastily, "and there's another with them, a creature the likes of which I've only seen referenced in ancient lore, my lady. A Mystic."

Seladon froze as the explanation triggered a memory. Brea had spoken of a skeksis and a mystic living together at the Circle of the Sun. Both exiles, this odd pair had allegedly crafted the duel glaive in the hopes that Gelfling would one day find it and in doing so, come into possession of the lost shard from the Crystal of Truth. It had to be them. Why else would Mother Aughra be in the company of a skeksis?

"Their names?" pressed Seladon tightly.

Nethrid appeared to struggle with that. "I believe the skeksis called himself SkekGra. The Mystic introduced himself as...er...it started with a 'U', but the name eludes me. They claim to have knowledge to share with us about the enemy—more specifically, the Garthim. They've brought with them a strange weapon they say can be useful against the creatures; more useful than what we currently have at our disposal. They say they want to teach us how to craft these weapons for ourselves."

Nethrid approached the wary All Maudra, and she knelt before her, removing her helmet and hood to reveal platinum hair cropped short for a Vapran female, falling only to her shoulders. She looked up at Seladon gravely, her eyes subtly pleading on her.

"I would strongly advise you to hear them out, my lady; especially since they've come with Mother Aughra herself. You know that she would never bring danger to our doorstep. I beg of you to meet with them yourself and withhold judgment until after you've heard what they have to tell you."

Seladon had already decided to grant the audience, now that she had confirmation of who these creatures were. They were responsible for the creation of Brea's stone guardian Lore. If not for Lore, her sister and husband might have been counted amongst the victims of essence harvesting long before now.

"I will join them in the council chamber directly," informed Seladon. "See to it that our guests are made comfortable and offered refreshment while I make myself presentable, Captain."

Nethrid got to her feet with a slight smile of relief and approval. She nodded and bowed again. "At once, All Maudra."

* * *

After dressing appropriately and steeling her nerves, Seladon took a guard escort with her to the audience chamber. Aughra was there seated in a chair provided for her, but her two companions were too big and bulky to fit in gelfling furniture. Not long ago, the Vapra citadel boasted large, throne-like seats for Skeksis to sit in while visiting for Tithing ceremonies or diplomatic purposes. Not so any longer. Seladon had those seats destroyed, vowing that no Skeksis would be seating themselves in her halls again unless she and all of her clan were dead and gone.

Today, it was different. Seladon looked up at the strange skeksis as she entered the chamber, flanked by her paladins. Appearance-wise, he looked like any other member of his kind. His attire was vastly different from the bulky armor and extravagant robes she was used to seeing his kin wearing, though. He was essentially dressed in rags by comparison, and his face was painted with symbols that reminded Seladon of the Great Conjunction. He had a funny looking hat on that almost resembled a thumb tack pushed into his skull.

Seladon looked at the other creature, standing at Aughra's other side. In some ways it resembled a Skeksis, mainly in that it had four arms. It was hard to put one's finger on exactly what else made the other one seem like a cousin to its skeksis companion. Physically it had no features in common with its counterpart. No beak, a thick main of white hair running from the nape of its long neck to its base. The mystic—and Seladon was sure that was what it was—appeared to have whorls etched into his very face. The skin was dark gray like granite, the hair white.

Unlike his companion, the mystic had a gentle look to his soft eyes, but Seladon could sense the ancient knowledge present in both of them. She took a steadying breath, and she accepted the hand of one of her paladins as she stepped onto the dais of her throne to take a seat.

"Mother Aughra," greeted Seladon, mustering a regal yet polite tone. "It's with great pleasure that I welcome you to Ha'rar with open arms. It's been some time since we last spoke."

"Hello, child," said Aughra, dismissing formalities as always. "I come with grave news and, fearful though they may look, these two are here for your benefit as well." She gestured at her two companions.

Seladon flicked her gaze between the two other guests, and her eyes lingered and narrowed on the skeksis. "I'm sure you have good reason for bringing them here. Only because it's you will I tolerate _that_ one in my presence."

The skeksis blinked, putting a hand on his chest. He muttered a question to his companion over Aughra's head. "Do we know this gelfling? I don't remember meeting her before."

The mystic shook his great head slowly. "No, but...you must...remember. Her people...have reason...to fear you. I...don't think...it's...per..."

"Personal," finished the skeksis for the other in a snappy tone. "We'll be here all day if we wait for you to finish!"

"I have never seen nor met either of you before," clarified Seladon with a nod of confirmation. "My younger sister Brea has, though. She's spoken of you. If not for that, I might have turned you away immediately despite Mother Aughra being in your party. Now, tell me what news you bring. I can only tolerate being in the presence of a skeksis for so long."

"My, my...this one is angry," pointed out the skeksis.

"Very...observant," muttered the mystic. He looked at Seladon thoughtfully. "I am...UrGoh. This is SkekGra, my...ah..."

"His other half," said SkekGra. "It's a long story, best saved for the telling when there's more time to spare. We remember Princess Brea, of course. Tell me, does she have Lore with her? I put him to sleep after he completed his task to escort Gelfling safely to us, but he was gone from where I left him when we returned to our home."

"Lore is currently in the company of the Stonewood clan and Brea's podling friend," explained Seladon, relaxing slightly. "She thought it best to leave the creature behind to make travel easier when she came to visit me."

"And where is she now?" asked Aughra.

"Currently traveling with Rek'yr," answered Seladon. "After the recent garthim raid on our farmlands, the decision was made to carry the news to Maudra Seethi in the hopes of rallying the Dousan to greater participation in the resistance."

"Mmm, the desert folk do like to stay neutral when possible," mused Aughra. "Won't be an option for them much longer, though. Garthim don't notice harsh temperatures or travel conditions. The sands won't stop them for long."

"Agreed," replied Seladon with a nod. "Both the Dousan and Grottan clans have fallen to the wayside again since our victory at Stone in the Wood. They know the threat is rising, but they seem to be of the belief that their remote locations offer them some protection. Being small in numbers compared to the other clans, I don't truly blame them for wanting to avoid conflict, but that all Gelfling must be prepared to fight for our survival...and for Thra."

Aughra looked, Seladon thought, like she was impressed with her words. She confirmed it a moment later. "Very wise of you, Seladon. How you have grown since Aughra last met with you."

The compliment gave Seladon a feeling of pride she hadn't experienced for some time. It was especially meaningful to her because of the bitter turn her relationship with the ancient had taken, back before Seladon opened her eyes to the evil she was enabling.

"Thank you, Mother Aughra," she said, and her hand impulsively went to her belly. "I have more to protect than ever, now."

Aughra's single eye followed the gesture, and her rough, grooved features fell with sorrow. "The burden you must bear is a terrible one, my child. More so now than before. Aughra is sorry for your loss."

Seladon swallowed a lump that rose in her throat. So Aughra knew about what happened to Vaurin. Of course she did. She was a seer, after all.

"I must honor my husband by pressing on and bringing our daughter safely into the world," she said, trying her best to sound brave even though she didn't feel it. "The captain of my guard told me that you have some sort of weapon to offer us, in addition to whatever news you wish to impart. Please tell me more."

Aughra turned to look at the table off to the left of the throne, where tithe offerings used to be placed before Skeksis ambassadors. Seladon followed her gaze and saw what appeared to be a spear, but it didn't look like it could serve any practical purpose in battle, to Seladon's eyes. The length of it was made of steel, but the head was pure crystal. If anything, it looked ornamental...something that one might use in ceremony rather than combat.

"That is your weapon?" asked the All Maudra of the other two guests, raising a brow. "Against creatures with armor that cannot be penetrated with weapons of steel, flint or bronze, you come to me with this oversized trinket and claim it can do them harm? It would shatter on the first strike!"

"Ah, but you see with the eyes of one seeking out sharp blades and physical force when searching for a weapon," explained SkekGra. "To defeat Garthim, you need more than that."

Seladon sighed and rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. "My sister told me that you have an odd sense of humor. I dearly hope this isn't some inappropriate attempt at a joke on your part."

"It isn't!" insisted SkekGra. "No joke, gelfling maid. We have great interest in the survival of your people, even if for selfish reasons. If all Gelfling die off, we can never be whole. Not even I would make a joke of that."

"Then please explain what this pretty ornament can possibly do against those creatures that our weapons can't achieve," she urged. "What do you mean when you say we need more than physical force?"

"The...song...of...Thra," stated UrGoh haltingly.

SkekGra nodded. "Yes. The crystal spear is fashioned from the bones of this world, the same stuff that made the Crystal of Truth. The song is imbued in the crystal, you see. Garthim have no song. They come from corrupted and warped energy. It isn't the sharp point that will do the most damage to such creatures, leader of Gelfling. It's the pure song of Thra that they can't bear."

Seladon frowned, and she looked to Aughra for advisement. "Does any of this sound plausible to you?"

Aughra shrugged. "Sometimes the best answer is one we don't yet understand, child. Of course it sounds plausible. SkekGra speaks true. The theory is a sound one, worth trying out. If the Garthim are created by the darkening of the crystal, then the untainted light of the same source should counter that corruption. Crystal spears might unravel their being, break them apart."

"And they _will_ most likely shatter when used," clarified SkekGra, "but that isn't a flaw in the design. More of a boon. Splinters of the crystal weapons will dig in and fester, eventually killing the Garthim they strike even if the first blow isn't a fatal one on its own."

"Most likely," mused Seladon. "You mean to say you haven't tested this weapon yet?"

SkekGra scratched the back of his head, appearing slightly flustered. "Well, no. That part is up to Gelfling. We had time only to fashion the prototype and bring it to you."

The headache grew worse. "We can't afford to go on theories and suppositions. You're asking me to put an untested weapon in my people's hands and hope for the best. It seems just as likely to me that any gelfling attempting to wield one of these could lose an eye when the tip shatters upon impact."

"My dear, listen to me," Aughra urged her, "SkekGra has described the crystal tipping this spear as the 'bones of Thra', and that is the most apt description one could use. Crystals of this world carry the song of the creator in them, and the origin of the Garthim is indisputable. What better weapon against the darkness is there, besides light?"

Seladon was still highly doubtful, but given their current options, she had to conclude that this one at least had potential. "How do you propose we make these spears? It will take a lot of them if we're to use them as weapons against the enemy. I'm sure the crystal topping your 'prototype' wasn't harvested from the Crystal of Truth itself."

"No, it wasn't," agreed SkekGra. "The answer is on your very doorstep, All Maudra. More crystal like the one on this spear can be harvested from within the Claw Mountains. There are caverns full of them. Enough for an army, in fact. All you need do is gather it up and bring it here to begin forging the spears. We'll show you how it's done."

"You hid the shard of the Crystal of Truth inside a weapon for generations," Seladon reminded sternly, "and you didn't even bother telling my sister or her party that the true power of this weapon you forged was in the pommel, not the blade. For reasons I can't fathom, I don't doubt your sincerity in wanting to stop the culling of my folk, but I do question your sanity."

"As would most," stated SkekGra with a shrug. "Many a trine of exile takes a toll on the thinking process, but we can assure you that we are being transparent now. Transparent as glass, yes. No tricks, no riddles, just the simple truth. If you think you can go on without our help, then by all means, try. It isn't likely that there will be anyone left to come crying to us about it when Gelfling civilization falls as a result."

Seladon clenched her jaw. She didn't take well to threats, even ones not directly issued. "My husband is dead because of the Skeksis war on our kind. I don't even know how he died or if his spirit was able to return to Thra. If you think for one moment that I'm going to—"

Seladon snapped her mouth shut when she noticed the pained, regretful expression on Aughra's face. She stared at her, feeling a chill inside. It didn't escape her notice that countenance change happened after she'd mentioned Vaurin. "Mother Aughra, what do you know? Have you seen some vision of my prince's fate? Do you know what happened to him?"

Aughra closed her eye briefly, sighed and then got out of her seat to hobble up to the throne. She placed a gnarled hand on Seladon's tense shoulder, and she spoke in a low, gentle whisper.

"Aughra knows what happened to your paladin, yes. I saw it with my own eye. It grieves me to tell you that he cannot return to Thra. Not yet, anyway."

Seladon's eyes began to burn, and her vision blurred with tears. She blinked them back. She grabbed handfuls of Aughra's dress, desperate now. "What do you mean, 'not yet'? Show me, Mother Aughra. Dreamfast with me and show me what you've seen! I must know what happened to him!"

"Shh, child. I question the wisdom in sharing such a memory with you right now. Your pain is already like a cloak around you. Too much more of it, and I fear you may shatter."

"I won't," swore Seladon. "I can endure the truth much better than the not knowing. Please, Mother Aughra...I need to see him. I need to know what happened, or I'll go on in this misery of ignorance. I can't live like that!"

Aughra looked as though she wanted to cry as well. She visibly struggled with herself, staring Seladon down as if peering into her soul. Finally, she stiffened her jaw and gave a nod.

"Very well then. Aughra will show you, if only to give you the closure in which you seek. You must remember that this event has already occurred. Neither you nor Aughra can change that, understand?"

"Yes," agreed Seladon. Of course she knew that. A dreamfast was a memory of the past and a way to silently communicate through the mind, not a future or current vision. "Show me."

* * *

Aughra hadn't been present for the actual draining. She'd departed the dream space just after they took Vaurin away to be harvested, leaving Deet behind to witness the rest. Though she wasn't shown the act that took her husband away from her, Seladon's horror and rage was a living thing. When she came out of the dreamfast, she screamed her torment so loudly that even SkekGra and UrGoh were startled. It was a long, primal scream that had been needing release since Vaurin's disappearance, and Seladon honestly didn't realize she had that much breath in her.

When it faded with a ragged gasp, Seladon staggered for balance. One of her paladin's came out of his shock and hurried to her side to support her. Seladon raised her eyes from the floor to meet Aughra's sympathetic gaze, and she swallowed several times before speaking.

"They want to...use his corpse against me."

Aughra nodded. "Yes, though it isn't a corpse. There is life in him still, Seladon. Maybe only a drop or two, but your prince is not dead yet. Don't be so quick to give up on him, girl. Might be a slim hope, but there's still a chance he could be saved."

"How?" Seladon heard how raw and helpless her own voice sounded, but right now she lacked the strength to put up a strong front. "Even if they don't consume his essence right away and didn't fully drain him, how can we retrieve both it and his body, short of a full-on assault against the castle itself? An attempt has already been made once to take the Crystal Castle, and only a handful of gelfling survived to tell the tale."

"Unity is still your strongest weapon," Aughra explained. "Find the means to fight off the garthim and you may have a chance to take that castle. It starts with the weapon, the shard and the prophecy. How it ends is uncertain, as there are many possible turns the future could take."

The misery of bearing witness to the Skeksis heartless plan for her mate was a heavy weight on Seladon's heart. Now that Aughra had shared what she'd seen with her, Seladon knew she wouldn't have been able to bear watching him drained before her eyes. In a way, it would have been worse than seeing him killed. Knowing that any moment his very existence could be snuffed out by a greedy skeksi's thirst was nerve wracking.

"I must come up with a plan," decided Seladon. "I want the harvest of those crystals to begin right away. The garthim will come again eventually, and if there's any truth to what I've been told, we'll have proof of it soon enough. Vaurin and all other gelfling in his condition must be liberated from enemy hands, and those who can't be restored..."

Seladon trailed off at the terrible thought. Alive, but not alive. Breathing and moving, but without thoughts or souls. If their essence was gone, there was nothing left of them to try and save. The logical decision would be to put an end to the mockery of life. Could she do it, though? Order mercy killings for those without a hope of being saved? They couldn't even properly honor them, because there was nothing to send back to Thra.

Seladon pictured her husband's throat under the blade, imagined watching his lifeless eyes close for good, and knowing she had destroyed the body Thra had gifted to him in life.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "I can't. There must be some other way."

It wasn't long ago that she'd been willing to sacrifice some of her fellow gelfling for the sake of saving thousands, but she had been backed into a different corner in those days. Skeksis wouldn't stop draining Gelfling. No amount of diplomacy would change that, and they had no mercy. Ending the lives of any of her people—even if those lives were already essentially lost—was not an acceptable option.

"I have a way," SkekGra offered, "but it won't be effective for a couple of generations."

Seladon looked up at him, having briefly forgotten he was even there. "What are you talking about now?"

"Healing the Crystal of Truth will set the balance right again," he answered. "All of the souls consumed by my brethren will be released once the Great Conjunction happens and we're all returned to our true forms."

"But restoring the crystal won't accomplish that by itself?"

SkekGra, UrGoh and Aughra all glanced at each other, apparently sharing the same train of thought.

"Great Conjunction is the end of all things, or the beginning," Aughra stated. "The Crystal itself can be restored without the alignment of the heavens, but the sundering cannot be reversed without the power of the Great Conjunction. 'Till then, Skeksis remain Skeksis and UrRuh remain UrRuh."

Seladon's brow crinkled. "UrRuh?"

"Mystics," explained UrGoh.

"Yes," agreed SkekGra. "Some time after the sundering, folks started calling the UrRuh 'mystics'. The origins of both our races have been forgotten over time by most of Thra's inhabitants, save Aughra here."

"Aughra forgets nothing," stated Aughra. She looked to Seladon, and she offered a deeper explanation. "The sundering of the UrSkeks happened during the last Great Conjunction, giving birth to the Skeksis and UrRuh. In order to restore both races back to their original form, a second Great Conjunction is necessary, and so is the restored Crystal of Truth."

"And in doing so," SkekGra picked up, "stolen spirit energy—or essence—will be released and returned to where it belongs. Unfortunately, the event only happens once every nine hundred, ninety-nine and one trine. Long wait for us, I tell you. Your wait won't be so long, though. Should you survive, you and your offspring will still be alive to witness the next one."

Seladon thought of some of the things her sister had told her. She'd listened with only half an ear to most of it, blocking out some of it completely as gibberish. "The next Great Conjunction won't happen for nearly fifty trine."

UrGoh nodded ponderously. "Yes. Gelfling...must...heal the...Crystal before...then."

Seladon felt a rush of hopelessness. If they couldn't find a way to secure Vaurin's essence before it was consumed, she wouldn't see his smile or hear his voice again for half a century. That was assuming nothing happened to his body before then and the hypothesis she was hearing turned out to be true.

After several moments of silence, Aughra spoke again. "I came to warn you that Skeksis might make good on their plan and try to use your prince to force surrender. You mustn't let that happen, child. There's more at stake than your love for your prince, much as it grieves me to speak it."

Seladon knew that. Of course, she knew that. It was her prime motivation to keep going, to fight for the safety and freedom of all Gelfling. She couldn't help but resent Aughra for stating what she felt was the obvious, and she was about to tell her as much when a messenger burst in on their meeting without announcement.

"All Maudra! You must come quickly! There's a carriage from the Castle of the Crystal approaching from the south road into town, flying a banner of negotiation. What are your orders?"

Seladon stared at him, and then she looked around at her companions. Aughra's warning was coming into light sooner than expected.

"Ready my own carriage and block the road," commanded Seladon, falling quickly into her role as leader and putting her emotional turmoil inside a mental box. "They are to approach no further than the outskirts. I won't allow them into Ha'rar for private audience. I want a strong regiment to accompany me, and be on the defensive."

"Yes, All Maudra!" The paladin saluted and hurried off to do her bidding.

Seladon gathered up her courage, dreading this parlay even though she'd just been warned it might come to this. It was possible that the Skeksis had some other demand or proposal to issue, but her gut feeling was telling her that Aughra's prediction was going to be spot-on.

* * *

Unaware of this new development, Rek'yr and Brea were at the Wellspring in an audience with the Dousan council and Maudra Seethi. Rek'yr had already dreamfasted with them to share what he'd born witness to since the last time they spoke. The council was silent for long moments afterwards, obviously deep in thought. Brea stood silently in the background, waiting with baited breath for their decision.

"Our thoughts are with the other clans in these desperate times," Seethi said at last. "The victory at Stone in the Wood was obviously a fleeting one, and times grow more troubled by the day. The messenger arrived several moons ago with the information about these garthim, and I for one wasn't expecting them to begin the attacks so quickly, nor focus them on the very hub of our civilization."

"Does that mean, Maudra, that you would be willing to send your aid?" asked Rek'yr.

Seethi heaved a sigh, and she looked around at the grave faces of her council. Her painted features bore a look of regret as she answered him. "I must put the safety of our clan before all else, Rek'yr. As a Sand Master, you should appreciate this. We have seen no evidence of these creatures in our own territory. Perhaps that means the Skeksis lack interest in the Dousan. They've always misunderstood us. Our clan alone was banned from serving as castle guards. Perhaps that fear of our ways will work in our favor."

Brea finally spoke up, unable to keep silent any longer. "It isn't fear that keeps the Skeksis from moving in on your lands, Maudra Seethi. It's inconvenience. Your clan doesn't pose as immediate a threat to them as the Vapra, Stonewood and Spriton clans do. Your territory would be difficult for the garthim to move through easily, but not impossible. Not even the swamps of Sog could deter their attacks."

Brea stepped forward when the Maudra and her council stared at her. There was no particular hostility in their looks, nor disdain, but with Dousan it was difficult to tell where one stood.

"Please, Maudra. I ask that you come to Ha'rar and speak with my sister yourself. We still believe that the future of all Gelfling depends on us remaining united. We can't accomplish that without you, and though it may seem like your clan is safe from the garthim attacks for now, it won't remain so for very long."

Rek'yr nodded, and he added his own incentive with hers. "When they have culled the other clans, their eyes will eventually turn to us, and to the Grottan. We can't allow ourselves to fall into old habits and segregate ourselves by clan. Gelfling must stand as one, or we will fall alone."

Seethi considered his words—perhaps with greater care than she had Brea's. Trusting in one of their own over an outsider was a habit that all clans were still guilty of. It would take time for them to repair the damage caused by Skeksis rule. The seeds of mistrust between different clans had been sewn long ago and germinated deep.

"I will need time," stated Seethi after a moment. "I must arrange for a council member to handle clan matters in my stead. Please tell the All Maudra that I will come to Har'ar within the next six moons to personally discuss the situation with her. I'm sure she'll understand my position. Send her my condolences on the loss of her husband as well. We will honor him with song and dance upon the rise of the suns tomorrow."

Rek'yr looked at Brea, and then he gave a respectful nod to his Maudra. "As you wish. We will carry your message to the All Maudra. The princess and I must return to Ha'rar as soon as possible."

Brea also gave a nod of respect, disappointed that they couldn't get more immediate results, but not overtly surprised by that. The Dousan had a false sense of security right now, and Brea could understand their leader's reluctance to invite trouble early by attracting too much attention to their clan. Perhaps Seethi was right and her people would be more or less overlooked for a time. The trouble was that while they enjoyed relative peace from the attacks, by doing nothing they would be buying time for themselves with the blood of other gelfling.

Surely Maudra Seethi would see that herself and act accordingly. Neutrality wasn't an option in this struggle anymore, and Brea prayed to Thra that Seethi was wise enough to realize that.

* * *

"This is the fate Skeksis intend for all of us," Rian said to the assembly after relaying Deet's message, explaining what she'd shown him and dreamfasting with several gelfling that expressed some doubts. "Not only are they taking our essence; they're using the bodies of their victims as mindless slaves and for their twisted experiments."

Rian looked at Hup, who was seated near Kylan around the bonfire. "Including Podling. The skeksis are desperate, even more so now than they ever were. They aren't content to drain just Gelfling for essence. They've moved on to other races as well. It wouldn't surprise me if they've tried it on Arathim too, given what we know of the experiments leading up to the creation of the garthim."

"Word should be sent to Ha'rar about this new information," suggested Naia. "Especially since the All Maudra's own husband was recently abducted. I think she should know there's a chance that he and other captives could be saved."

Beside her, Gurjin winced. Naia turned to look at him expectantly. "What?"

The male twin heaved a sigh. "I don't want to be the nay-sayer of the bunch, but it might not be a good idea to give Seladon hope where there might not be any."

Naia wasn't the only one to give him a frowning look over that. Rian found his statement discouraging as well. "It's true that we may not be able to restore everyone the Skeksis have taken. We need a plan of action. We must find a way to rescue both those who haven't been drained yet and those who have. We need to retrieve all of the stored essence phials that haven't been consumed. Even if we can't return that stolen essence to the rightful owners right away, we can keep it safe until we find a way to restore the draining victims with it."

"Some of those victims might not thank us for that," stated Gurjin, unusually somber.

Rian tilted his head, folding his arms over his chest to ward off the chill of winter still lingering in the forest. "What do you mean, Gurjin? You don't think our kin will be grateful to escape oblivion? To have a second chance at life?"

"Some of them might not be," answered the Drenchen male, raising his gaze to meet his friend's. Gurjin was completely somber, thoughtful and troubled. "I've felt what the dark crystal does to anyone caught in its beam, Rian. They turned it on me when they were interrogating me in the castle, after your escape. I can't find words strong enough to describe what it felt like. You feel yourself slipping away, drawn into that beam of light. You can't look away from it once it's on you. I came close to dying once, and that wasn't nearly as bad as having that beam on me."

Onlookers went quiet as Gurjin began to stare into the flames of the bonfire, a haunted expression making him look older than he was. "It pulls you in. Starts taking bits of you away, even the most precious memories. You feel like there's never going to be any warmth again, like you'll never have anything to look forward to. I was starting to forget my own name when they finally stopped."

Gurjin looked up at Rian again. "And that was just a taste. Only a few moments, I'm sure, but it felt like much longer. These gelfling and podlings you're talking about restoring endured much, much worse than that. They've had everything taken from them; memories, fears, personality, thoughts. Everything that makes them who they are. I'm just saying that they might not adjust well to going from a state of not existing at all to coming back from it. I've never told you this, but I still don't feel quite right inside since the day they tortured me with it. Some days I just don't want to climb out of bed, if you can believe it."

Ordinarily Rian _wouldn't_ believe that, because his best friend had always been so full of life, always making the most out of any situation, no matter how bad. Looking into his eyes though, he could see the truth behind Gurjin's declaration. It dismayed him to learn he'd been suffering this way for all this time, and Rian hadn't even known it. Neither, apparently had his own twin sister. Naia was staring at her brother with faint horror on her face, blended with an expression of guilt that Rian himself felt to the marrow of his bones.

Rian approached his friend, and he squatted down before him. He reached out to place a supportive hand on Gurjin's shoulder, sincere in his desire to support him. "I never knew. Gurjin, I am so sorry that I failed to notice your pain and help you."

Gurjin shrugged, and a gleam of mischief briefly lit up his eyes. "There's no help for me; you always say so yourself."

After he and Rian shared a chuckle over that, Gurjin sobered again. He returned the Stonewood male's gesture and gave his shoulder a brotherly squeeze. "Seriously though, there was nothing you or anyone else could do. It's been my personal battle, and I think I've been getting along well enough, all things considered. I've kept quiet about it because telling anyone would just make them worry about me. I only spoke out just now because I think you need to know what you're trying to bring Gelfling back from, Rian."

Gurjin sighed, patted Rian's shoulder and then shrugged. "That being said, we have to try, right? We can't be afraid to save who we can because they might come back with some nightmares for it. Everyone's got their own way of healing and coping. I just don't want anyone to be surprised if we do manage to restore some of our kin and they don't come back quite right."

Rian nodded. "You're right on all accounts. I was thinking only of how we can save the captives, not how their ordeal might effect them long term. Thank you for bringing that to my attention, no matter the cost to yourself to talk about it aloud."

"So if and when we liberate the captives and begin restoring them," Kylan said, "we need to have a care for the shock they may be in. None of us here now can say with any certainty what it's going to be like for them. I think the closest comparison I can make is being startled awake from a deep, dreamless slumber, or waking after being knocked unconscious. They're likely to be disoriented and confused."

"I agree," said Rian, "and Thra willing, we'll have the opportunity to discuss care options for these individuals. Right now our focus should be on preventing further losses, rescuing the captives and taking the Castle of the Crystal once and for all. Defenses should be our first priority, and the liberation of the prisoners the next."

"But if we defeat the Skeksis," reasoned Naia, "the rest should come easier."

"True, but laying siege to the castle is going to require a united front. We have to come up with a solid strategy first and mobilize. If we attack now without the full support of all the clans, we may end up repeating recent history and providing the enemy with more victims to drain. We need every clan invested in this, and we need to have a plan of attack against the garthim."

Rian paused, thinking of the dreamfast he'd shared with Deet and the horror of witnessing someone he knew being drained. "We also need to consider the risk to the current prisoners. We know that some of the drained ones like the podlings follow orders given to them by Skeksis. It looks like Gelfling aren't as compliant once drained, but it may just be a matter of time before the skeksis find a way to adjust their methods and change that."

"So if we go in before freeing the prisoners," said Kylan, "we may well end up fighting the victims we mean to save."

"That's my concern exactly," agreed Rian. "Skeksis wouldn't think twice about using our own kin as fodder against us. That along with the garthim at their disposal complicates things even more."

"We should have struck while they were recovering from the last battle," muttered Naia. "Hit them before they could regain their feet or create those monsters they're using against us."

Rian lowered his gaze. "I don't disagree with that. We hesitated, clinging to the hope that they would see their folly, cease hostilities and leave us in peace. I think Gelfling were too long under Skeksis rule. We've all been trained from birth to honor them as our lords, and discarding generations of conditioning like that doesn't come easy. Even in our victory, we were reluctant to press further and now we're paying the price."

Naia was staring at him strangely, and Rian had to fight the impulse to squirm under her scrutiny. "Is there something else you want to say?"

Naia, appeared to think about it, and she shook her head. "Not really. I was just thinking of how much you sound like Captain Ordon right now."

Rian flushed with pleasure at the observation, taking it as a compliment. He hadn't consciously realized he was doing it until now, but he _had_ been thinking a lot of how his father would have handled each situation he was presented with. It made him feel like Ordon was with him in spirit, guiding him and lending his strength to become a better leader.

Self-conscious, Rian couldn't resist tossing a little dry humor out. "I think if he were here, the captain would say I'm not scowling enough to fill that role. Nobody's quaking in their boots or pissing themselves yet."

That brought a round of laughter from everyone who knew Ordon in life. Rian accepted a mug of brew offered to him by one of the Stonewood guards, and he raised it.

"To Captain Ordon," said Rian, "and to the resistance and freedom of all Gelfling!"

"Here, here!"

More drinks were passed around, and the gathering enjoyed a bit of fellowship in the midst of such dark tidings. It wasn't a flippant move on Rian's part; he did it to bolster morale, to give his people a brief respite from the stress of debating war tactics. There wasn't much more to be done tonight anyway. They needed a gathering of all the clan leaders and their councils. They needed to unite again, determine their priorities and go from there as one.

* * *

Un-noticed in the sudden revelry, a solitary podling slipped away into the dark. He trod paths he'd become familiar with in his time there, taking the one that would lead him to a quiet spot near the recently erected defensive walls around Stone in the Wood.

Hup wasn't upset that Rian had an unplanned visit with Deet without including him. He understood the urgency behind it, and he didn't begrudge either of his friends for it. What upset the little paladin was his own indecisiveness. Garthim were attacking podling settlements now. Some of Hup's direct kin might be in immediate danger, if not already captured and drained by now.

He should go home to Sami Thicket. He should return to the village on the outskirts that he'd grown up in. He wanted to help his friends, but he also wanted to protect his fellow Podling. He owed his own kin his loyalty too, after all. Someone had to be there to defend them, and as amicably the co-habitation of that territory was between the Spriton and the podlings of Sami Thicket, Hup didn't fool himself into thinking the Spriton would go out of their way to help his people if a garthim attack happened. Gelfling were the primary targets, so the Spriton would naturally look to their own first.

Hup heard heavy rustling behind him, along with a familiar grinding sound. He didn't even look up as the elemental creature he'd befriended approached him, evidently having noticed him slip away and followed after him.

"What should do?" sighed the podling, looking down at the fancy, solid spoon in his hands.

He knew it wasn't a conventional weapon by most standards. He'd taken to using spoons in such a way because he started out as a cook at home. Spoons just felt natural, and he knew firsthand how much they could hurt when one got whacked hard enough with one. Despite how comical he knew it must seem to his gelfling companions, they seemed to respect his combat prowess with spoons and their All Maudra had gifted him with this one. Without realizing it, Hup dropped his halting Gelfling and began talking in his own language.

"I want to protect Podling _and_ Gelfling. I want to protect my friends. Especially Deet. Podlings have no chance of defeating Skeksis. We're too small, too meek and too disorganized. My people don't have initiative to put up a good fight. To drink a brew, yes. To roll in the dirt, yes. Most Podling would never go into battle. We fight when backed into a corner. Sometimes I wonder if I was meant to be born a podling, or if it was a mistake."

Remembering his company, Hup switched back to Gelfling speech. He didn't know how much Lore could understand of what he'd just said, if anything. "Should Hup go or stay, Lore? Which right path? How protect kin and help friends together, hm?"

The creature lacked the facial features to pull off an expression, but by the way Lore lowered his head as if in thought, Hup felt like he understood the dilemma.

"Hup not know what should do," sighed the podling again, squeezing his spoon and staring down at it. He felt a gentle touch on his head, and he realized that Lore was trying to comfort him. The creature obviously had no answers to give him, but Hup appreciated the company nonetheless. Lore wouldn't judge him either way.

* * *

Seladon stepped out of her carriage, flanked by paladin guards both on foot and on land striders. Captain Nethrid was waiting for her, and she climbed down from her mount to approach the All Maudra and explain the situation.

"It's their Ritual Master, All Maudra. He insisted on waiting for you to arrive before speaking. He has the one they call the Garthim Master with him, and I suspect there's someone else inside that carriage as well. I swear I could smell Gelfling when I got close enough, but they haven't revealed whoever else they might be hiding in that vehicle."

"Thank you. Stay by my side, Nethrid. While there can't possibly be any garthim in there, they could have any number of other tricks at their disposal."

"I concur. After you, my lady."

Seladon counted the steps she took, if for no other reason than to maintain her composure. She saw SkekZok poke his head out of the carriage, and she remembered with a disgusted curl of her lip the way he, along with his fellow tyrants, had mocked her pleas for mercy to the Emperor. He hadn't been the loudest or the most obnoxious about it, but he'd laughed along with the others.

And to think, she'd once considered him to be almost kind.

"Greetings, All Maudra," said the Ritual Master as he stepped out of the carriage. He bowed to her, and to the eye that knew no better, it might have seemed like a perfectly sincere gesture of respect. Seladon knew better, now. "It's been some time. You're looking well."

Seladon gazed up at him coolly, masking the disgust she felt in his presence. It wasn't just directed at him; some of that disgust was for herself, for ever trusting such an evil creature.

"Good afternoon, Ritual Master. Let's dispense with formalities, shall we? You've come uninvited and unwelcome into my territory. Even so and despite your recent hostilities against my clan, I will hear your excuse and give you the opportunity to leave unharmed. Why are you here?"

"Hostilities?" SkekZok appeared convincingly bewildered, and then he held a bony finger up. "Oh, you must mean our rehabilitation efforts."

Seladon somehow managed to keep a straight face, but she honestly thought she had misheard him. "Excuse me?"

"Yes, I can see how you might have been given the impression that hostile intentions were behind our recent garthim activities. They are a work in progress, I agree. They lack...subtlety. We've improved their fetching techniques with the help of our Garthim Master, but some injuries do still occur."

"This isn't a game," Seladon told him firmly, anger rising within her. "Your new pets abducted several of my clan members, and you have the gall to come to me and pretend it was all for some benevolent purpose?"

"Oh, but it was," insisted SkekZok. "Skeksis still need Gelfling essence to invigorate us, but we've perfected our method of extracting it since this unfortunate fracas began. We no longer—"

"What are you babbling about?" groused a rougher voice from inside the carriage. Another skeksis that Seladon had never met before poked his head out from inside, glaring at the Ritual Master. "Drop this farce and get to the point!"

SkekZok made a shoo-ing motion at his companion. He cleared his throat and turned back to Seladon. "Now, as I was saying; we no longer destroy the host when we harvest the essence. You once offered volunteers to us for the sake of peace, and that deal was never formally dissolved. As such, we've regrettably had to take what you agreed to give us freely. Yes, the garthim collected a number of gelfling. They have been relocated to serve as needed, but none have been killed. None _will_ be, unless you force our hands."

He interrupted her as Seladon opened her mouth to speak. "Just a moment, All Maudra. You should see the results for yourself before you condemn our new practice."

He turned to look back at his carriage. "SkekUng, why don't you show the All Maudra the proof of what I'm talking about? I think she needs to witness our progress for herself so that she may better understand the...situation."

Seladon tried to brace herself as one side of the carriage opened and the hulking Garthim Master stepped out, his armor rattling with his motions. He muttered a command to someone inside the carriage, reaching in quickly.

All of her fears came to fruition before Seladon's eyes. A gelfling stumbled out, practically dragged by the arm. He came to a clumsy stop beside SkekUng, blank of expression and seemingly blind. He was dressed in common clothing of decent quality and his hair looked as though it had recently been brushed. Though his dead-eyed, vague stare was glazed over with white and his hair had been bleached of most of its vibrant, red-toned streaks, there was no mistaking his identity.

Her Vaurin was there, standing with his head vaguely tilted and his mouth partly slack. His face was thinner and his eyes were shadowed with dark smudges, but it was still recognizably her husband.

Standing there in shock despite having some forewarning about this, Seladon stopped breathing. She heard the ring of a blade being drawn, and her captain's presence was reassuring to her as Nethrid came to her side and issued a low, stern demand.

"Release him at once, cur."

"Oh?" SkekZok looked at the drained gelfling, then at Seladon. He reached out with one long arm to grab Vaurin, dragging his small, unresisting form close. He pressed the sharpened tip of the ornamental claw capping his first finger against Vaurin's neck, demonstrating that it was more than mere jewelry.

"If you truly wish me to release him from our service," offered the Ritual Master, "I can oblige right now."

"Don't!" Seladon stretched out her hand in a halting gesture, her heart nearly stopping as she watched a droplet of blood form where SkekZok's claw pressed against Vaurin's vulnerable throat. "Nethrid, stand down."

The captain reluctantly sheathed her blade, and she made a motion of command to her fellow paladins to halt their defensive reactions. Seladon drew a ragged breath, fighting nausea and dizziness. Vaurin didn't react to the prick of the metal against his flesh, but he did turn his head slightly in her direction, as though he could sense his wife even if he couldn't see her clearly.

"Now that we understand one another," stated the Ritual Master. He eased back with the claw, but he kept his hold on Vaurin; a silent warning that he could put an end to Vaurin's life with a single jab if provoked. "You recognize him, I see. That's good. We did our best to preserve him just for you, All Maudra. I think Red here has been our crowning achievement in our technique. He even has just a touch of essence left in him."

SkekZok tightened his grip on Vaurin when the paladin made a move, appearing to try and step toward Seladon. The Ritual Master clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"You want to go to your mate, pet? How interesting; I wasn't so sure we left enough for you to remember her."

"You filthy—"

"He's well-kept, as you can see," SkekZok went on, interrupting Seladon's choked response. "I keep him bathed and groomed. He's certainly a more attractive servant than those withered little podlings with their drooling, wrinkled faces and wiry wisps of what little hair they have left. Everyone compliments him. SkekEkt likes to brush and braid his hair. She keeps trying to convince me to trade for him, but no, I told her I'm not willing to part with such an exotic prize. Red is unique, you see. He's the only gelfling we've drained thus far that responds to commands, though I'm still training him."

Bile was rising in Seladon's throat. "His name is not 'Red'."

"Well then, what else shall I call him? He failed to tell me his name before he was drained and I'm afraid I never learned it."

She nearly blurted her husband's name, but Seladon understood she was being toyed with, tormented. This skeksis was trying to break her composure and make her irrational. She would not comply.

"Ah well," sighed SkekZok. He petted Vaurin on the head briefly, before grasping his arm again to keep the hapless prince from wandering from him. "I know he was your husband, so perhaps I should start calling him 'Prince'. Yes, I think that's fitting."

"What," Seladon said tightly, "do you want?"

"Yes, please," groused the Garthim Master. "I agree with her. Enough of these games. Tell her, or I will."

"Very well. Take him." SkekZok pushed their captive towards the bigger skeksis, and once SkekUng had Vaurin securely in his grasp, the Ritual Master addressed Seladon again.

"I would like to assure you that your prince's essence has been untouched since its extraction. It shall remain so and his body will continued to be well cared for, so long as you give us no reason to do otherwise. My proposal is simple, All Maudra. While we can accept under the circumstances that tithing ceremonies are at an end, we still require certain things of you. Provide us with seven gelfling from each clan at the end of every month, as originally agreed. In return, your mate will remain safe, cared for and his essence untouched."

"You want me to sacrifice my people in exchange for your word that nothing will happen to my husband or the essence you stole from him," summarized the All Maudra flatly.

"That's right. Of course, we understand if you aren't willing to command your subjects to come to us. If you find it objectionable to ask it of them yourself, we can easily send the garthim to collect. All you need to do is look the other way."

"I will not let you cull Gelfling without objection or a fight," announced Seladon, even as her knees started feeling weak with the implications of her refusal. "Holding my husband hostage with the promise that his essence won't be consumed isn't incentive enough."

"What if I sweeten the deal?" offered SkekZok. "For example, I could arrange to have your mate made whole again after a certain quota is met. Show enough good faith and he could be back at your side, restored to the gelfling he once was. Refuse, and I can't promise his essence _or_ his body will survive."

It was just as Aughra had said. They meant to use Vaurin against her, and Seladon had a feeling that this was just the beginning. If she agreed to this insanity, they would only demand more of her. Today it was gelfling subjects to drain, but in a month, maybe less, it would be the surrender of Ha'rar or even worse.

"I'm afraid there will be no deal," Seladon heard herself say, hardly recognizing her own frigid voice.

"Not even for your own mate?" pressed the Ritual Master.

Seladon looked at Vaurin's impassive face, aching with the desire to run to him, to hold him, the beg his forgiveness. She looked at SkekZok again, and she shook her head. "Not even for him. One gelfling in exchange for the lives of many is not acceptable. My prince would understand and agree."

SkekZok blinked, looked back at his companion and the gelfling they held captive, and then shrugged. "So be it. I'll try to convince the Emperor that he still has his uses even if you don't want him back, but it won't be easy. He's a bit on the dull side when it comes to following directions, unfortunately. The Emperor will tire of the novelty soon enough if Prince doesn't start keeping up with the podlings in his chores. Ah well, I suppose we both have to accept our loss."

SkekZok turned and began walking back to the carriage, which the Garthim Master was already preparing to load Vaurin back into. The Ritual Master paused and turned to look back at Seladon.

"They were right about you, All Maudra. They said you would abandon your mate without hesitation. I didn't believe you would be so cold, but it seems I was wrong. Have a last look at him. This may be the final time you lay eyes on your disposable prince."

Seladon's eyes felt frozen in their orbits. She was already staring at Vaurin, watching him clumsily get into the carriage with his handler issuing rough commands to him. The words used against her were designed to hurt, to test her resolve. They did hurt and they certainly tested her. She wondered if some part of her husband could comprehend the exchange and understood it. That broke her heart.

_"I love you, Vaurin. I love you more than I ever thought possible. So much that it hurts. I hope that whatever remains of you knows that."_

She said the words silently, speaking with her heart and conveying it in her gaze on him. In defiance of the agony she felt, Seladon remained steadfast and unmoving as her husband and the two skeksis got into their coach. The vehicle began to move, circling around in the road to face the direction it had come from. It traveled away from the assembled gelfling, taking Seladon's love with it.

Long after the carriage traveled out of sight, leaving only a trail of road dust in its wake, Seladon stood there like a statue. She felt a touch on her arm, followed by a soft inquiry. Someone was speaking to her, but it sounded like it came from far away. Seladon heard a buzzing sound in her ears, and beyond that, she heard someone shouting at her to breathe.

She collapsed on the road. Her paladins crowded around her, calling out to her. The All Maudra's last thought before losing consciousness was that she had just sentenced her husband to death.

* * *

-To be continued


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a method to my madness, I swear.

"Useless slave, he spilled them again!"

SkekZok heard the complaint from his Emperor, and he cringed inwardly. He hurried to correct the situation, getting up from his seat at the table to collect the goblets that Prince had dumped almost casually at SkekSo's feet. As he bent over to gather up the chalices, he heard some of his fellow skeksis snickering at his misfortune.

"I begin to think that one does it on purpose," mused the Chamberlain. "MmmMmmm!"

"Whether or not he has the capacity to do anything on purpose," said SkekOk, "the fact remains that he's shown little signs of improvement. Having the potential to carry more than our podling slaves amounts to nothing if the gelfling lacks the coordination to pour a simple drink."

"Perhaps it's time to consider other uses for him," suggested SkekTek. "I am eager to discover how this subject's cognitive functions might pave the way for future improvements, with the right adjustments. He might be a lost cause, but understanding the balance that gave him this much awareness could be the key to making future gelfling subjects into more ideal servants."

SkekZok checked a sigh, fearing his battle to keep his pet off the scientist's table might prove to be in vain. He had enjoyed having his own personal gelfling servant and he could personally overlook Prince's inability to perform more than the most simple tasks. He found it interesting in fact, because like the Chamberlain, he had started to suspect there might be some autonomy behind the failure to perform. He wouldn't dare say so aloud, but SkekZok thought he saw a glint of intelligence in his slave's eyes from time to time; usually just before the gelfling broke, dropped or spilled something he was charged with carrying.

SkekSo surprised him, though.

"No. He's not to be cut up or otherwise physically altered," declared the Emperor. "Not until we're certain he's utterly useless as a pawn against the All Maudra. SkekZok reported that she nearly faltered when he delivered the proposal to her. Is that not so, Ritual Master?"

SkekZok paused in the act of placing a spilled goblet back on the tray, and he bowed to their leader humbly. "Yes, my Emperor. It is so. She didn't break, but I could see her beginning to crack. Particularly after I delivered my parting comment. Seladon isn't as steadfast as she likes to believe. Our recent discovery of her condition serves a greater advantage to us."

SkekSo nodded. "And you're sure what the crystal bats overheard was accurate? Is the All Maudra truly expecting, or was it merely gossip?"

"The bats were spying on the physicians," explained SkekZok, "not commoners. They were discussing how to best alleviate the All Maudra's stress for the good of her unborn offspring. In addition, the bats overheard one of them make mention of their dear All Maudra suffering a collapse just after our little meeting. It seems the poor thing is at the end of her rope."

"Then she should do the sensible thing and comply," reasoned SkekEkt. "It would be such a shame to lose this adorable little slave over her stubbornness."

SkekZok rolled his eyes as the Ornamentalist reached out to pat Prince on the head. As if she stood to lose anything at all in this. He was the one fighting to keep SkekTek from stealing his pet from him and mutilating it.

"It's only a matter of time," he promised his Emperor. "The All Maudra will break."

"And are you prepared to give up your claim to her husband?" asked SkekSo. "It may be necessary to deliver what we promise, if only temporarily."

SkekZok resisted a frown at that. "As you say, it will only be temporary. Even if we can restore him as offered, he'll eventually be harvested again like the rest of them. So long as my claim to his essence is honored, I'm content to play along until it isn't necessary any longer."

"Good," approved the Emperor. "Now, get this slave out of my sight."

SkekZok looked at his blank-faced pet, assuming his lord simply wanted him out of the dining hall. "Come, Prince. We'll return you to my chambers and—"

"No," interrupted SkekSo. "It's too much of a menace to serve us in any capacity beyond it's use as a diplomatic pawn. Send it to the pit with the other gelfling we've drained. I want it out from underfoot."

SkekZok tensed with dismay. "But Sire, he will get dirty and unkempt in that pit. It's already difficult enough to get him to sleep. Without the droughts I feed him at night, he won't sleep like the others, and it will start to take a toll on his body."

"We have shown the All Maudra how we've cared for her husband's physical state when being generous," said the Emperor. "Perhaps if he's not so well-kept the next time she sees him, she'll better understand the price his body will pay for her intransigence. To the pit with it, and we'll speak no further on the matter."

Dismayed, the Ritual Master guided his slave out of the dining hall to prepare him for transport to the designated holding area. The Emperor didn't like having the lower holding cells full of drained gelfling but wasn't willing to dispose of all their husks, thanks to SkekTek convincing him to allow experimentation. As such, the Skeksis made use of what was once a large paddock for the castle guard's land strider mounts. A quarter day's travel from the castle, it was the perfect facility in an ideal location to hold the drained gelfling that could be of no practical use as servants.

"Pity," remarked SkekZok, pulling his oblivious companion along with him down the corridors. "I did enjoy it while it lasted."

He could visit the pen from time to time, tidy Prince up when possible and give him the draught to make him sleep now and then. Just so he was out of the way at the castle, SkekZok couldn't imagine the Emperor objecting too strongly to that.

* * *

The Ritual Master was trickier than other Skeksis to spy on. Deet couldn't say how, but sometimes she was sure he could sense her when she was around him in her astral form. She was therefore careful not to follow too closely. It was taking a toll on her to leave her body so often to spy on the skeksis, but she was determined to help the captives, both Gelfling and Podling.

This was her first opportunity to see where they were keeping the gelfling they discarded after draining them. Deet was sure that finding the location of this pit and exploring it would provide and advantage to resistance efforts. Rian had told her that one of the obstacles he'd discussed with the others was the risk of harming their own kin if they stormed the castle. Now she had confirmation that Gelfling victims, at least, weren't kept anywhere in the castle.

The carriage was prepared by podling slaves, and Deet floated along behind it once the Ritual Master set off in it with Vaurin. She made mental notes along the way of landmarks and direction, and she couldn't help but notice how barren the territory around the Castle of the Crystal was getting as time wore on. It was as if the stronghold itself was draining the land surrounding it of all life.

Deet wondered how far that barrenness would spread by the next turn of the seasons. Her cleansing efforts could only extend so far, and her priority wasn't the lands around the castle. It ached her heart to witness the increasing lack of greenery and be unable to do anything about it.

* * *

The next time they visited, Deet explained the information she'd gathered to Rian and Hup.

"There's a pit. They've been storing all of the drained gelfling there, and some of the podlings too. Whichever ones don't have enough potential to make ideal servants get sent there. Prince Vaurin is there now, too. I've counted fourteen podling servants left in the castle, but there may be a few more."

"Well done, Deet," complimented Rian. He thought on what she'd told him. "So now we have confirmation that virtually none of the gelfling they drain are fit to keep as their slaves, including Prince Vaurin. What I still don't understand is why they keep so many captives alive after draining them. You said the Scientist has been experimenting on some of them, but what are the others there for? Hostages?"

"I don't know," Deet admitted. "Other than Prince Vaurin, I can't understand what use they have for drain victims that can't serve them. They can't be sparing all of them, though. I only counted twenty eight gelfling and seven podlings in the pen. Maybe the new draining method doesn't always leave the body behind, or maybe the captives I counted are all newer victims. I know they've drained much more than what I saw there."

"Some of them probably got destroyed on the scientist's table," suggested Rian grimly. "But you may be right. If they've only recently changed the way they drain victims so that the bodies don't disintegrate, they wouldn't have that many surviving captives yet. Did you recognize any faces while you were counting heads at the pit?"

"Only one or two," answered Deet, "both Vapran. Half of the captives looked like Spriton and Drenchen to me, but it was hard to be sure. The draining withers and ages people. Vaurin is the only one I've seen with some vitality left in him."

"How many garthim did you say were guarding the pen?"

Deet reviewed it in her head. "At least five, and there was a Skeksis there too. I think it was acting as a kind of shepherd. It was the fat one."

"That sounds like SkekAyuk," said Rian. "The one they call the Gourmand. I wonder if they assigned him specifically to oversee the pen or if they rotate."

"I've seen him at gatherings and noticed others' absence," explained Deet, "so I think they take turns. Maybe they have a sort of schedule. My fathers trade off on minding the Nurloc herds so that they each get enough rest."

Deet sighed at the thought of her family. "I used to be a part of that rotation. I wonder how they're managing without me. I wonder how my little brother has grown."

"Deet not see them?" Hup asked.

She looked at her podling friend, and she shook her head. "No. I haven't had the time to check in on them lately. The best I've been able to do is drop by the village to be sure nothing's happened to my clan. So far they're safe, and probably for the same reason the Dousan haven't been raided yet."

"Your clan also shares the territory with Arathim," reminded Rian. "They may be the only ones so far that have managed to best a garthim, so it makes sense that Skeksis would be wary of sending their pets to Grot, for now."

Deet fell silent, unsure of which was safer for her people; to stay in the caves, or to migrate back to the surface again and join other clans. There was safety in numbers, but the Grottan already had that with their Arathim neighbors. With the garthim attacks primarily focused on surface settlements, her clan was probably safer where they were right now.

It didn't help the resistance, though. Some Grottan would need to take up arms with their fellow Gelfling eventually, even if the rest of the clan stayed put.

"Has word been sent to Maudra Argot?" she asked after a few moments. "I think she would rally the clan to help if asked."

"Messengers were just sent yesterday," assured Rian. "We've also gotten word from Ha'rar that new weapons are being forged. Our friends from the Circle of the Suns showed up with Mother Aughra in Ha'rar with one of these weapons. Supposedly they can do more harm to the garthim than our regular weapons, but we'll see. Right now, we could use whatever help we can get."

Deet nodded in agreement. Aughra had said something about SkekGra and UrGoh the last time they'd spoken in the dream space, but she'd been distracted and much of what she said didn't make sense to Deet. Noticing how quiet and subdued Hup seemed, Deet turned to him with concern.

"Hup, what's wrong? You've barely spoken."

He looked up at her, and then he sighed. "Hup not sure what do," admitted the podling.

Deet exchanged a glance with Rian, and she stepped closer to their friend. "About what? You know our friends value your help, and you told me the last time you visited that the Stonewood are being nicer to you."

"It not that," said Hup. "Podlings. Hup's kin under attack, too. Want to help, but must help Gelfling friends."

Deet's expression softened with understanding. "Oh. You're loyal to your gelfling friends, but you have family and friends back home and you're worried about them."

Hup nodded. "Can't protect Podling alone, though."

"But if we free the captives and end Skeksis rule, your people will be safe again," reasoned Rian. "Your clan live close to the Spriton, don't they?"

"Ya, but Spriton have own problems," answered Hup with a shrug. "Not help if podlings get attacked, probably."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," soothed Deet. "Of all the gelfling I've met since leaving my home, the Spriton struck me as the least prejudiced. Um, no offense to the Stonewood, Rian."

"None taken." He smirked, and then he looked at Hup with concern equal to Deet's. "Hup, I would understand if you really want to go home. Nobody would fault you for that."

Hup looked at the Stonewood gelfling with troubled, expressive little eyes. "Rian...no need Hup?"

"Of _course_ I need you," assured Rian quickly. "I rely on your bravery, your wit and your friendship. When I think of where we would be now if not for you...well, let's just say I'll never underestimate podling folk again."

Hup smiled. "Heh. Not all podling. Hup...eh..."

Seeing that he was struggling with the word to describe himself, Deet was quick to help him out. "You're unique! Maybe the most unique person I've ever met."

The podling blushed. "Well...ah."

Rian chuckled, but his tone was sincere when he spoke. "Deet is right. You're the only Hup, regardless of race. We're lucky to have you, friend."

Hup smiled again, but then he immediately heaved a sigh. "Can no leave."

Deet and Rian met one another's eyes, and it was like they both thought the same thing at the same time.

"Hup," they said in unison.

"Oh, heh...you first," offered Rian bashfully to Deet.

She almost insisted on him going first instead, but they didn't have all night. "What if I checked in on them for you? I can travel there through the dream world. I need to visit Sami Thicket and The Great Smerth anyway to see how things are going there."

"Oh! Mm-hmm! Good idea!" Hup's enthusiasm faded quickly, though. "Deet not be everywhere, though."

"Hmm? Oh, are you afraid I'm going to wear myself out?" She smiled at her friend, and she patted his shoulder. "Don't worry; I'm much better at it now than I used to be. Purifying the streams is more tiring to me than traveling the dream space."

"I also have a suggestion," offered Rian, "in addition to Deet's offer, we're going to need regular missives sent back and forth between the clans. At least until we figure out a way to communicate over distance without alerting the Skeksis."

Deet and Hup both nodded in agreement, and Rian went on. "Hup, since you have a personal interest in Sami Thicket, I would like to put you in charge of organizing missives there. I already know who I'd personally pick as your team, but I leave that up to you."

Hup's eyes widened, and his face lit up. "Hup...be in charge? Like Captain?"

Rian smiled at him, and he nodded. "Yes, like a captain. I'm not going to lie to you friend, it's going to be exhausting work. Dangerous as well. You're going to be traveling often, because we need to take the initiative this time and organize a strike against the enemy."

Deet stared at the Stonewood gelfling, unable to determine whether her excitement or fear was greater. "So you're going to do it? You want to try and take the castle?"

He looked at her with thoughtful, brilliant eyes and he shook his head. "Not the castle. Not yet. First the crystal weapons need to be finished and tested. The Skeksis stronghold is too grand a target for us at this point, but the slave pit you described may not be."

Rian looked around for a twig, and then he brushed aside some dead leaves on the forest floor to begin etching into the dirt. He grimaced as he worked. "My sketches are rudimentary at best. It's too bad Brea isn't here to help me outline this, but it's just a rough idea. You see, this represents the Crystal Castle and this...well...blob I've just drawn would be the pit. And here's Stone in the Wood."

"I see," encouraged Deet. "What is your idea?"

Rian looked up from his crude strategy diagram, meeting hers and Hup's eyes respectively. "There's one sure way to test those weapons they're forging in Ha'rar. If we conduct a raid on the pit, we'll face some garthim. Provided we can overpower those, a single Skeksis won't be anything we can't handle. It seems land striders can do those garthim damage as well, so we should have some in our ranks."

"And Hup," insisted the podling. "Hup go too."

Rian smiled and nodded. "And Hup. Of course. I wouldn't leave you out."

"If there are no more than five Garthim, and enough Gelfling join in the fight, it may work," Deet said hopefully. "You could rescue the drained."

"That's my hope," agreed Rian. "Granted, we would only be liberating their bodies, but it would spare them from being cut up on the scientist's table. If we can later somehow retrieve the stored essence from the castle, we can keep at least some of our brethren safe until the day they can be restored."

Deet thought on it. Actually, she'd already been thinking about it for a while, but so much was going on that she hadn't brought up the subject yet. She hadn't seen the point in it, given that the drained _and_ what remained of their un-consumed essence was still in the hands of the Skeksis.

"I think I know how they can be restored," she announced, "and it's simpler than you think."

Rian's ears perked. "How, then? The crystal isn't whole yet, and we don't know how to operate the machine to try and reverse the draining even if it were."

"You don't need the crystal or the machine," explained Deet, feeling in her bones that she was right. "Only the essence. The stolen spirit energy must be returned to the original host, and for the ones stored in flasks, it should be simple."

"What are you suggesting? That we pour the essence on the drained?"

Deet shook her head. "No. Have them drink it."

Rian blinked. "That's it? Just...drink it?"

"Think about it," reasoned Deet. "Skeksis rejuvenate themselves by drinking the essence. If someone drank their own essence, taking it directly into their body, it should restore everything that was lost to them when they got drained. When we drink cool water it refreshes us. When we drink a warm brew, it staves off the chill."

"Or gets drunk," added Hup.

Deet smiled. "Well, that too. We've been looking at it the wrong way, though, thinking it has to be something complicated when the answer is right there in front of us."

"When did you work all this out?" Rian was gazing at her with admiration, even if he was a bit uncertain of her theory.

"After watching it enough times to make the connection. Gelfling are of Thra; Skeksis aren't. When Skeksis drink our essence, they're taking Thra into themselves. It's temporary, but that's how they've managed to live for so long. They leech from our world. They aren't _really_ immortal. We've seen that now. They can be killed, and without stolen energy sustaining them, they can age and die just like any other creature. So if drinking essence invigorates them, it makes sense that the victims they drained would be restored by doing the same thing."

"Brilliant," complimented Rian, smiling at her. "Deet, you are truly amazing."

She blushed to the roots of her hair, recognizing that look in his eye by now. They weren't alone, though. "Um, thanks. It really wasn't anything special. The idea just hit me."

Rian seemed to snap out of his romantic haze as well, and he glanced sidelong at Hup before clearing his throat. "One problem; say we rescue all of the drained and get our hands on those stored essence flasks. How do we know which flask belongs to which gelfling?"

Deet grimaced and shrugged. "I haven't figured out that part yet, unfortunately. It will have to wait until we've managed the first two goals. Even if we get both the drained and their essence out of Skeksis' hands, it will save lives. They'll have a chance."

"Right," enthused Hup. "To da pit!"

Both gelfling stared at their friend, and then Deet giggled. "Not _too_ fast, Hup. Rian still has to gather forces and settle on a final plan."

Hup shrugged. "Ya, but longer wait, more folk die."

Deet lowered her gaze as that simple and truthful statement hit like a rock to the stomach. "Yes, I suppose you're right. We need more haste, but we can't be reckless."

Rian got to his feet with a grunt. "We'd best be leaving. There's still time to hold an emergency meeting with the council and prepare groups to leave in the morning. I need to travel to Ha'rar myself, to see how these weapons are crafted and bring back as many as I can of those they've already completed. Hup, are you sure you want to take on the task you've volunteered for until we're ready to move in on the Pit?"

Hup nodded. "Ya. Hup take Lore and Kylan with. Maybe two Stonewood."

Rian nodded. "Good choice. I would suggest Gurjin and Naia too, but I'm going to need them with me on the journey to Ha'rar."

Hup nodded again. "Hup figured. Rian need best fighters to protect."

"I'm not incapable of protecting myself," protested the Stonewood.

The podling shrugged. "Rian get stolen lots."

"I think," Deet guessed, also standing up, "Hup is talking about—"

"I know what he means," sighed Rian. "Listen, I know I've been captured a couple of times by Skeksis and I wouldn't have faired well against the Hunter if it weren't for Deet, but to be fair, even his own kind seemed to fear him. I bested the General, didn't I?"

"Mm-hm, but for shard."

"I know it was because of the crystal shard in my weapon."

"Let's not argue," suggested Deet before Hup could wound Rian's pride any further in his well-meaning logic. "The point is that things need to be set into motion as soon as possible. While you two get word out to the gelfling that are willing to fight, I'll do my best to keep an eye on the Skeksis. The next time you come and visit me, I want to show you how to make bombs."

The last part was enough to draw Rian's attention away from defending his dignity. "Like the smoke bombs you made for the last battle?"

"Well...not exactly."

Rian cocked his head curiously, waiting for an explanation.

Deet breathed a sigh, and she reached out to shyly take Rian's hands in hers. "I think it's time for us to stop trying to be so merciful. Killing and war isn't truly the Gelfling way. Skeksis taught us all of that. Maybe they should see how well we learned the lesson."

"You're talking about bombs that will do more than blind them with smoke," murmured Rian.

"Yes, I am." Deet kept her voice and gaze steady. "We're fighting for our world, for our survival. We've tried to reason with them, we've tried not to use lethal methods. They won't stop."

He nodded slowly, his brow pinching for just a moment. "I've actually been feeling the same way. I suppose I just needed to hear it from someone else. I never expected it to be you."

Deet finally dropped her gaze, unhappy that it might come to such ruthless measures, but accepting of the fact that they could no longer survive this through meek measures. "The bombs should be saved for if they're truly needed. They'll be quite destructive compared to the smoke bombs, so you shouldn't use them near prisoners you're trying to rescue."

"Of course," agreed the woodland prince. "I'll be sure to make that clear to everyone. Only if the situation is dire and can't be handled by Gelfling hands alone. Are you sure you can make such explosives, though? What you're talking about seems a far cry from smelly smoke bombs."

"I know where you can find more volatile ingredients in the Caves of Grot," she assured him. "My family can help, actually. Someone just needs to explain the plan to them. Even if they don't send many gelfling to fight, I'm sure they would be willing to help supply the bombs."

"I'll see it done," promised Rian.

He was looking at her that special way again, now that they'd established what to do next. His hands squeezed hers, and she could read the question in the action, as well as in his stare. Deet found herself leaning toward him, longing to get a kiss goodbye but mindful of their companion.

Hup sighed and spoke, startling both gelfling. "Hup wait outside."

When the podling left, Rian cast a sheepish grin at Deet. "I think that was a hint. Can I...um..."

Deet nearly sighed as well. Sometimes she wished Rian would just grab her and kiss her, rather than throw hints and ask. He'd done it before, but he seemed to bounce between being shy and impulsive so much that she wondered if there was more _she_ should be doing to encourage him.

She pulled him closer by the hands and pressed her lips against his. He gave a little start, then relaxed and embraced her. The tension faded away as the pair got lost in the moment, cherishing the contact.

As always, it couldn't last. They would have to be content with these special little moments for now. Deet kissed him harder, because unbeknownst to Rian, there was something else she'd been contemplating that stood to put her in significantly more personal danger than what she'd been doing thus far. It was good that Hup had volunteered to be a missive between Stone in the Wood and the lands to the south, because Deet really wasn't sure she could make good on her offer to check in on Sami Thicket through the dream space.

Hup was right; she couldn't be everywhere. If she could manage to do what she wanted to try though, it would give them an edge; both over the Garthim and their Skeksis masters.

* * *

Seladon paced the armory, inspecting the crystal spears thus far crafted. She was disappointed.

"Only five? That's all that we've been able to forge in as many days?"

The blacksmith grimaced and bowed. "Begging forgiveness, All Maudra, but the material is difficult to work with. Two attempts already resulted in shattered spearheads. Forming the points with the harvested crystal is the easy bit. Attaching them securely to the shaft is the delicate part. The crystal can easily chip, crack or shatter during that step."

The All Maudra sighed, and she threw her hands up. "We may as well be throwing eggs at them, then. Where is the vulture and his lumbering counterpart?"

"They've been selecting the pieces to use for the spearheads," explained the smithy. "It seems to have helped. We haven't had further incidents since they got involved."

"Well, we must work faster," insisted Seladon. "Rian has just arrived with a plan of attack, and we need more than five of these spears if it's to have a chance of success."

"Seladon, they're doing the best they can," soothed Brea, coming up beside her. She and Rek'yr came back with their travel party three days prior, just as the first crystal spear had been successfully crafted. "We're using forging techniques unfamiliar to us, along with materials we've never before used as weapons. It's going to take time to perfect it."

Seladon whirled on her sister, and she spoke in a tight voice. "We don't _have_ time, Brea. _Vaurin_ has no time."

"You said that you haven't felt his presence diminish any further," reminded Brea. "If his essence was consumed, I think you would know. This isn't good for you, sister. You need your rest and proper nourishment, or you'll make yourself and the baby ill."

Seladon's hand went to her belly, which had begun to expand with her condition. It was hard to believe so much time had passed. It was frankly a miracle that Vaurin's essence hadn't been consumed yet. What were the Skeksis waiting for? Why, if SkekZok was so determined to have Vaurin's essence for himself, hadn't he made good on his threat and drank it?

It was almost impossible to imagine, but Seladon wondered if the Ritual Master had formed some kind of attachment to her husband. She'd heard that the Scientist had a certain fondness for the various animals he kept in his chambers. Perhaps, if Skeksis had always thought of Gelfling as a kind of pet, it wasn't so impossible that SkekZok had some kind of protective impulses toward Vaurin.

If that was so, it could keep her husband alive for longer. Buy more time for them to free him and the others, and find a way to restore them. Either way, Seladon herself couldn't participate in the battle to secure that freedom. The timing of his capture couldn't have been worse.

"I will retire to my chamber for a while," announced Seladon wearily. "Brea, please inform me when and if Maudra Seethi arrives. I'll take some rest and have a meal, as you suggest."

Brea watched Seladon go helplessly. The All Maudra couldn't reassure her little sister that she would be all right. It felt like nothing would ever be all right again.

* * *

"What's wrong with that one?"

SkekUng followed the pointing gesture his companion made with his artificial hook hand, and he grimaced. He saw what the Slave Master was talking about when he saw one of his garthim stumbling about, leaning heavily to one side as if drunk.

"Hmm. I don't know."

SkekUng descended the platform overlooking the covered slave pen, walking along the ramp leading down. He approached the creature in question, and his curious companion followed. It wouldn't do for his precious Garthim to begin deteriorating or show other signs of weakened performance. SkekTek may have been the one to create them, but SkekUng was their overseer now, and they were his pride and joy. They obeyed his commands above all others. Sometimes he thought of them as his children.

And SkekNa was fairly new to their clutch. The last thing the Garthim Master wanted was to give the impression that he was less than competent and in complete control of his hive.

"What is all this?" muttered SkekUng when he came to a stop before the seemingly afflicted garthim. He turned his head nearly upside down to examine the hulking creature's underside, wondering if it had damaged a leg segment somehow. Finding nothing, he righted himself and peered at the beady, glowing eyes of his pet.

"Are you ill?"

The garthim made a clicking sound, and its head jerked to the side as if agitated. That was when both Skeksis noticed a purple vapor drifting around the garthim's head, where it met its body. Thin, coiling strands of it.

"Is that normal?" asked SkekNa with another gesture.

SkekUng chose his words carefully as he responded. "Under some circumstances, yes. Must be one of the recently created additions. The energy transfer to bring them to life leaves traces once the Garthim wake. Sometimes it can linger. This one will settle and stabilize with time, like the others."

"Hmm, interesting." SkekNa shrugged it off, having limited interest in Garthim or Crystal Bats. His specialty was to oversee the slaves and choose the most likely subjects to serve in the castle. Today, however, he was there for a different purpose. "Now show me this gelfling the Emperor spoke of. I want to see for myself if what they say is true."

"This way," urged SkekUng.

He approached the stairs leading down to the gate, used his key and opened the portal. The pair descended further into the pit in the ground and were soon surrounded by a mixture of drained Gelfling and Podling captives. SkekUng looked around for the only gelfling with a thick head of hair and some color left in it. That was really the only way he could tell SkekZok's pet apart from the others.

"This one," he said after a moment of peering through the crowd. He grabbed the drained prince roughly by the arm and dragged him before his companion for inspection. His hair was tangled, his clothes and face were dirty, but he was in superior condition to the other gelfling slaves.

"Foolish idea to leave any with even a drop of essence remaining," grumbled SkekNa. He looked the prince up and down, and then he grabbed him by the back of his shirt and hoisted him up. The gelfling's arms dangled limply, his shirt ripping a bit from the treatment.

"I don't see what's so special." SkekNa brought the prince closer, until his beak was only a finger's width from the hapless gelfling's nose.

Something happened then that neither Skeksis expected. The gelfling's expression remained slack and vague, but he made a gargling sound in his throat and the next thing SkekNa knew, he had a glob of spittle in his good eye. He sputtered and growled, reaching up with his claw hand to wipe his face with his sleeve.

"Filthy vermin! It spat on me!"

His peers would say that SkekUng lacked a sense of humor, but this was one of the few times he came close to chortling. He tempered himself quickly when the Slave Master threw the gelfling prince, chucking him across the floor to crash into a gaggle of his fellow drained. SkekUng was clearly furious, and he began to advance on the offending slave with his hook hand poised with menacing purpose.

"Stop," commanded the Garthim Master. "SkekSo has plans for this one! No maiming or killing!"

"Bah." SkekNa pulled up short, glaring down at the object of his ire now slowly picking himself up off the floor. "We should dispense with the pretense of negotiating with these miserable creatures and simply hunt them all down. Dispose of the bodies once we've finished draining them."

"I agree," said SkekUng, "but the Emperor feels differently. He wanted you to see this one so that you know which it is. It isn't to be harmed until SkekSo says otherwise. As for the rest, SkekTek has use for them."

"Very well." SkekNa wiped at his face again. "I've seen the filthy thing. Now I would like to return to the castle. I have snacks to ration out to the others and slaves to tend to."

SkekUng nodded, sparing one last look at the princeling before escorting his companion back up the stairs to the pit exit. He empathized with the Slave Master's position, and he wasn't the only one. Gelfling had already shown that they weren't harmless, and SkekUng believed that the better way to deal with them would be to attack their hub settlements directly and kill their leaders. The Chamberlain currently had SkekSo's ear more than the rest, and he had an influence on the Emperor's policies.

"Why is this one in the way?" complained SkekNa when the pair made it to the top of the stairs to find their way blocked by a garthim. It was the same one that had behaved strangely earlier.

"Move aside," commanded SkekUng, at the end of his patience. Perhaps this one was simply defective. He would send it back to the castle to be examined.

The garthim stood immobile, its head tilting left and right. The glow in its eyes was too bright, and more tendrils of glowing energy escaped beneath its armor. The Garthim Master wasn't really alarmed until the creature started to advance upon the two of them. Even then, he was only mildly concerned, but then the garthim raised it's massive front pincers, clicking them threateningly.

"I said back away," snapped SkekUng. He snarled when his companion knocked into him in his haste to distance himself from the creature.

"I thought they obeyed you," accused SkekNa. He hissed when one giant pincher snapped shut, mere inches from his face. "SkekUng, do something!"

The Garthim Master was at a loss. Never before had his commands failed to work on even the newly created Garthim. Even when they were still a work in progress, Garthim did as he told them. This one, however, looked very much like it was mistaking them for Gelfling or Podling targets.

"Your master commands you," roared SkekUng forcefully. "Stand down!"

Something seemed to click then. The glow of the afflicted garthim's eyes faded to a more common level, it lowered its claws and shuffled backwards away from the pair. SkekUng hid his near panic well, and he kept his tone as confident as possible as he spoke to his companion.

"Clearly that one needs examination and more time in a holding pen. I will send it back to the castle with you."

"Not 'with me'," protested SkekNa. "The creature nearly attacked me. Wait until I'm away on my carriage and far ahead of it before sending it off."

SkekUng wiped at his mouth, in truth hiding a bit of a smirk. The other Skeksis were uneasy with the Garthim, with the exception of SkekTek. SkekUng was the only one with the confidence and authority to control them so well.

But this latest incident had him wondering. He glanced back at the now still garthim that had menaced them. That had never happened before. He thought he'd played it off well that he knew what the problem was, but that garthim had passed inspection and seemed fine until that moment, and now it was docile again.

Perhaps, he thought, the garthim had reacted that way because it hadn't seen SkekNa before. In not recognizing him, the creature may have perceived him as a threat. It did go after the Slave Master, after all.

* * *

-To be continued


	12. Chapter 12

Seethi arrived two days later than expected, and Seladon was prepared to blast her ears off with challenges and admonishments for being so tardy. Her boots clicked against the polished floors as she tromped her way to the audience chamber to meet up with the Dousan Maudra, but one look at the pale faces of the paladin's standing outside the doors gave her pause. They saluted her, glanced at each other and then one of them spoke in a grave tone of voice.

"There has been further incident, All Maudra. Garthim attacks. This time on remote Dousan settlements in the Crystal Sea, near the edge of their borders."

Seladon's anger faded. So, the Skeksis were spreading out the attacks after all, even going after the most remote clans of Gelfling. That left only the Grottan and Sifa clans thus far untouched by Garthim attacks. Bat swarms had already been reported from both clans of late, so it was just a matter of time.

The paladins opened the doors to the chamber for her, and Seladon paused for a moment at the threshold. Brea was in there with Rek'yr, Maudra Seethi and a handful of other Dousan. Rian was there was well, and with him were Naia, Gurjin and...

Seladon blinked when she recognized the third Drenchen in the room. Maudra Laesid was there as well. When she had arrived was a mystery to Seladon, but she had to admit that she was glad to see the wise, terse leader of the Drenchen again.

"They came in the night," Seethi was explaining. "Word came to us on the winds just as we were preparing to leave. None were left when we traveled to the village to search for survivors."

"All killed?" wondered Laesid, "or taken?"

"Killed," came the soft, regretful answer. "We found one gelfling half dead. Before he went to Thra, he told us the Garthim spared no-one. Not even for capture."

"Mm, I'm sorry to hear such news," offered Laesid somberly. "Skeksis always did have a peculiar dislike of the Dousan. Might be because they fancy themselves immortal and your clan holds death in such reverence. They don't like to be reminded that they too can die, and we've got proof of that."

"I think they _fear_ the Dousan for what they believe they represent," theorized Brea.

Laesid nodded in agreement. "To creatures that resist the natural order so strongly, Gelfling of the Dousan clan are intolerable to them. A reminder that 'forever' is an untruth. Mother Aughra says that even stars can die. That's why Skeksis hate the Dousan so much, even to the point where they don't want to touch their essence to extend their own lives. That's why they're simply slaughtering your folk, Maudra Seethi."

"Then perhaps my people are more fortunate than the victims of the other attacks." Seethi dropped her gaze pensively, her bright eyes softly grieving. "At least they can return to Thra."

Seladon stepped into the room then, approaching Seethi and coming to a stop before her as the others watched her enter and bowed with respect. Seladon reached out to the Dousan Maudra, and she surprised herself by laying comforting hands on her shoulders.

"My heart goes out to the Dousan in this time of tragedy," said the All Maudra softly. "I only just heard. Now that I know what kept you, I'm surprised that you made the journey at all, with your clan recently under attack."

"Others have done the same for the sake of the greater good," answered Seethi with a nod. "I came because I want to see the truth for myself. I've heard that Skeksis are not only draining our kind, but leaving behind their soul-less bodies to use for other purposes. When I heard the details of what happened to your husband, I knew I must see it for myself. Will you dreamfast with me, All Maudra?"

Seladon nodded, and she stepped back to hold her hand up. "I will. In fact, I will dreamfast with you all if you wish to see. I saw them drag my husband before my eyes, but it wasn't truly him. Merely a shadow of himself. Skeksis are doing this and worse to other gelfling, and their thirst doesn't stop with us. Even podlings have been subjected to draining."

"Yes, I want to see what happens to our kin when they're taken for this purpose," stated Laesid, lifting her palm. "I haven't seen the results yet myself."

"It's terrible," warned Rian. "I've seen it through Deet's eyes, and it's an even worse nightmare than before."

"Maybe we all need to witness that nightmare," suggested Naia seriously, "so that nobody grows complacent again."

"I could do without it," sighed Gurjin, "but a few more nightmares in my sleep is better than ending up _living_ a nightmare as some mindless puppet."

The others were in agreement, and they all joined in a circle to share Seladon's dreamfast. Just as the All Maudra's palm was about to come into contact with her sister's, she looked Brea in the eyes and she hesitated.

Brea had become quite fond of Vaurin. She hadn't been there when SkekZok arrived to deliver his "terms" and show Seladon what they'd done to her husband. A part of Seladon was still protective of her baby sister and wanted to shield her. That impulse had become stronger as her pregnancy progressed.

"It's all right, Seladon," encouraged Brea. "It's going to be more painful for you to revisit than it will be for any of us to witness. I can endure it."

Seladon took a deep, cleansing breath. "One day, your thirst for knowledge and curiosity is going to get you into serious trouble, little sister."

"Hasn't it already?" came Brea's response.

The siblings shared a brief, strained little smile of unity before clasping hands.

* * *

Seladon held her emotions in check when it was over with. In fact, she was holding it together better than any of them, and that surprised her. Perhaps it was because she had trained herself to avoid getting emotional in public, but she secretly felt numb inside. Precious little could hurt her much more than she'd already been hurt.

Brea was crying and hugging her. Laesid expressed sorrow and offered matronly comfort. Naia and Gurjin stood together with downcast eyes, the former looking angry and the latter just looking a bit ill. Rek'yr stayed close to Brea, solemn and steadfast.

Truthfully, the one that had the strongest reaction of all was Maudra Seethi. It was like a storm gathering in the chamber. When Seladon looked at the Dousan leader, she was taken aback by the intense emotion in her yellow eyes. Tears were streaming down Seethi's blue-tinted face. Her lips were trembling as though she'd just witnessed the death of a close family member, and yet Vaurin was nothing to her. She had barely known him.

When Seethi spoke, it clarified the source of her rage. It wasn't about a personal relationship with Vaurin at all, but her deeply rooted spiritual beliefs concerning death and the spirit realm.

"The Dousan," she said in an intense, uncommonly raw voice, "will stand with you in this latest threat, and beyond that. I've seen glimpses of this future in my visions, but I did not want to believe. Even when news reached us of the Garthim attacks, I hesitated to my shame. I wanted to protect my clan, but now I see that was only an illusion.

"They have gone too far," Seethi went on with feeling. "Death is a part of the song, a part of the circle! Now Skeksis have corrupted even that, denied Gelfling the release into the next life, leaving only a shell behind for their twisted purpose. This cannot be allowed. My people will rally to the cause, now that I've seen the proof."

Seladon would have doubted that if not for the emotion she could plainly see on Seethi's face. "Are you sure your clan will respond? You've seen it now, but you cannot share the dreamfast with them."

"They will listen to me," assured Seethi. She didn't bother wiping away her tears. She met Seladon's gaze. "Forgive me, All Maudra, but my clan is mistrustful of outsiders. All Gelfling are to an extent, but the Dousan..."

"You've had good enough reason," said Brea kindly. "The rest of us haven't been particularly welcoming of your people."

Seethi nodded. "I will carry this to my clan. When they hear it from me, they'll believe it. Look for our arrival by the next moon phase, All Maudra. We stand by Thra and all Gelfling."

* * *

Maudra Argot couldn't make the journey herself, but Deet's fathers and little brother arrived at Stone in the Wood three moons after the message was sent. Rian was back from Ha'rar by then. Maudra Laesid remained behind to advise Seladon and, he suspected, to offer her comfort. Warriors arrived each day from the clans to the south.

Hup, Kylan and Lore returned with some of those warriors of the Spriton and Drenchen clans. Gurjin and Naia were quick to welcome their brethren, and shelters were erected for those that couldn't be housed. Vapran paladins came from Ha'rar, bringing with them more of the crystal spears. Mother Aughra was reportedly at Ha'rar again too, along with SkekGra and UrGoh.

It was coming together nicely, Rian thought. Unfortunately, he'd had no opportunity to visit Deet. Between traveling to and from Ha'rar, organizing space for the warfront and sharing his strategy for the strike on the slave pen, he barely had time to eat. Even Hup didn't question him when the podling asked if he'd seen Deet again and Rian told him he'd had no time.

He made time, though. It was paramount, because Deet's efforts in all of this was one of their biggest advantages. Exhausted though he was from all of the planning, dreamfasting and explanations, Rian couldn't stay away from her for a day longer.

He finally freed himself up some time after a war council with the various clans. Rian did stop by the cottage where Hup was staying, but he found the podling fast asleep and he decided not to wake him. Perhaps he was being selfish rather than altruistic in letting his friend sleep through a visit with the Grottan maiden, but Rian didn't dwell on it. It was starting, and he couldn't wait around for Hup to get his wits about him and join him.

When he arrived at the dome and tried using the wooden nurloc toy she'd given to him as a key, Rian got no results. He frowned, reviewing the days that had passed and wondering if he'd come on the wrong one. The odd unscheduled day was fine if Deet requested it through the dream world and knew he was coming. Perhaps she was too engrossed cleansing the Darkening to notice his signal.

Rian considered turning back and trying again tomorrow, but after calculating it he was certain he'd come on a visit day. He wondered for a moment if Deet was angry with him for taking so long to come and see her, but that didn't seem like her. Deet would understand if Rian's duties kept him away; especially now with counterstrike plans on the way.

He tried again, murmuring her name and becoming concerned. Just when he thought he might have to search for some other way to get through the tangle, the opening formed for him. Rian quickly ducked into the corridor, and halfway through it, he noticed it was already beginning to shrink.

"Oh no," he gasped, and he increased his speed, unsure of what would happen to him if he didn't make it through to the other side before the animated vegetation closed and hardened. Would he be crushed? Or would he end up petrified along with the vines, a gelfling statue trapped inside until someone opened the pathway again? Rian didn't want to find out.

He dove the rest of the way, tumbling out of the portal just as it closed behind him. Rian got to his feet with a sigh of relief, glancing behind him at the now solid mass enclosing the dome. That was too close, and something that had never happened before. He heard a grunt of effort and a little gasp, and he whirled around to see Deet climbing to her feet. She looked shaken and exhausted.

"Deet," called Rian, taking three running strides to her side. He helped her up, looking her over with worry. "Are you okay?"

She was panting softly, and when she raised her head to look at him, it gave Rian a start. The Grottan's eyes were deep purple and glowing, and she had those violet webs of Darkening smattering her skin.

"What happened?" demanded Rian, holding her tightly to both support her weight and comfort her. "Did you tap into too much darkened energy?"

Deet shook her head. "N-no. I did...something else entirely. Used...the Darkening this time."

"Used it?" repeated the Stonewood prince, confused. His ears twitched and laid back in an expression of foreboding. "How did you use it? I don't understand."

"Please, let's sit down first," suggested Deet. "I need to rest. I'll tell you everything. Where is Hup?"

"Asleep," answered Rian. He eased her down, helping her to sit without collapsing. He sat across from her with his legs crossed, watching as the symptoms of her contact with the corrupt energy began to fade. "Hup came back today from Sami Thicket. He was worn out from the journey, so I didn't wake him. Here, have some water."

Deet accepted his gourd gratefully, drinking thirstily from it until she was quenched. She had the means of getting her own water inside the dome, but what she could coax from roots and vines likely wasn't as refreshing as clear, fresh brook water. Rian could tell that she'd run out of the supplies he'd left with her on his last visit, and he felt a fresh wave of guilt.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think to bring you more provisions tonight. I just wanted to see you as soon as possible once I had a moment to sneak away. I doubt anyone would have followed me out of respect, but I don't want anyone slipping in here to see you themselves until you're ready for it."

"That's all right," she assured him, favoring him with a forgiving, tired little smile. "We've all been terribly busy. You won't believe what I've been up to."

"So tell me," he urged. "Why would you risk handling the Darkening for any reason beyond purifying it? Especially after what it did to you when you reversed it on the Emperor that day?"

"I needed to see if I could use it to our benefit," explained Deet. She paused to take another drink from the gourd before going on. "I've been thinking about the nature of the Garthim and the Crystal Bats. The energy streams in their pure form are the song of Thra. When that energy gets corrupted, it loses the song. Skeksis use the Darkening to build their armies and drain essence, so I wondered if there was a way _I_ could use the Darkening too."

"To what end, though? Isn't the goal to cleanse it from our lands?"

Deet sighed. "I could be here for a hundred trine and never accomplish that on my own. The best I can manage is cleansing it from gelfling lands and keeping it from spreading into them again. I've spoken to Mother Aughra in the dream space, and she thinks it may be better for Gelfling to leave these lands until the next Great Conjunction."

Rian frowned severely, taken aback by the suggestion. "Leave...Thra?"

She shook her head. "No. I mean the continent. This land mass we're living on. I've found out there are others in the world, across the sea. There might even be other gelfling clans somewhere that we don't know about. Aughra said that in times past, some Gelfling migrated elsewhere."

"Is there truly anywhere on Thra that we can run where the Skeksis won't find us, though?" puzzled Rian. "Won't the Darkening spread all over Thra if we don't heal the crystal?"

"It would eventually," explained Deet, "but it would take hundreds of trine to reach other continents and eventually cover our world. If our clans leave this continent behind to seek out other ones, possibly even find more Gelfling, we might be able to recover and build our strength. We could return when the next Great Conjunction happens, and complete the healing of the Crystal."

Of all the suggestions Rian anticipated hearing from Deet, this wasn't one of them. "So you and Aughra both think we should give up our homes and leave our lands to the Skeksis?"

"It may be the only real chance at survival we have, Rian."

Deet looked down at her hands in her lap, and she picked at her worn and dirty dress. "I'm not saying it has to be right now, and I think we should at least try to take the castle before going through with it. There are many paths the future could take. We _could_ wind up on the one that leads to victory. We may win the castle from the Skeksis, find a way to imprison them and reunite the missing shard with the Crystal of Truth. That would stop the Darkening from spreading, but it won't be a complete victory until the Conjunction happens."

"But if we don't win," Rian said, catching on to her reasoning, "our losses might be too heavy to organize another attempt before Skeksis strike back."

"Yes." Deet looked at him, searching his eyes. "Do you see why the exodus may be the path Gelfling have to take? If we can't win out before the alignment event happens, we could all be destroyed. There won't be anyone left to fight, and any Gelfling that might still be thriving in other lands won't know the danger until it reaches them and it's too late."

Rian nodded. "All right. I can agree that we should start preparations for relocating, just in case. If nothing else, it's good to have a backup plan to save who we can if we should fail."

"I'm glad you're at least willing to consider it," she confided. "I was afraid you would just toss the suggestion."

"No, I respect you and Mother Aughra's wisdom. You can both see things that the rest of us can't, so if you have warnings or suggestions to give, I'm going to heed your advice."

Deet smiled at him. "Maybe it won't come to that. If it does though, I'm sure we'll find a way to rebuild in a new land. The Sifa have already been scouting for other potential homes across the sea. I think their seers have come to the same conclusion as we have."

Rian blinked. "So that's why we haven't heard from their clan at council for a while. I was beginning to worry, but I've been telling myself that they would get news to us somehow if the enemy managed to attack them at sea. Honestly, I think they're the only clan that might be safe from Garthim attacks right now."

"Yes," agreed Deet. "I'm sure Skeksis will eventually try to find a way to get to them too, but I think they would need giant crystal bats or some new form of swimming garthim to get at them. At least while the Sifa aren't on land."

"They would have to make landfall eventually though," reasoned Rian. "They still need fresh water and food that they can't get at sea."

"That's true. I wonder if the skeksis know that."

"Sifa might not be high on their priority list with so many gelfling in immediate reach." Rian grimaced at his own words, but he had to be realistic. "Aside from their port settlements, they might leave the Sifa alone until they start running out of land dwelling Gelfling to drain. Oh, and that's another thing; they've started attacking the Dousan as well. The desert environment isn't enough to deter them anymore."

Deet's expression fell. "I didn't know that. I've been focused on other things. How many did they take?"

"None, according to Maudra Seethi. Garthim killed them all during the attack. It's like the Skeksis don't even want Dousan essence; they only want the clan wiped out. We agreed it might be because they have some notion that Dousan are tainted somehow."

Deet sighed. "They've been misunderstood for so long, not only by Skeksis, but by other Gelfling too. Same with the Grottan."

"I think times are changing," soothed Rian. "Slowly, but surely. We're more united than ever and those different clan traditions and practices don't matter so much anymore."

Deet managed a little smile and a nod of agreement. "It's about time."

"Well, tell me what you've been up to," prompted Rian. "You started to, but then we drifted off subject. How have you been 'using' the Darkening, and is it worth the strain it's obviously putting on you?"

Deet took a deep breath, and she looked at him with excitement and a little pride. "I can control Garthim."

Stunned to silence, Rian could only stare at her incredulously.

"It's true," insisted Deet. "I gave it a go the very next morning after the last time we visited. I wasn't sure it would work, but I had to try. I took one over for a little while at the pit where they've been holding the drain. I thought that would be the safest place to make my first try, because there are only five garthim at the pit at one time and usually no more than two skeksis. I needed to be discreet and do it where it wasn't as likely to be noticed."

"I...I see. You actually managed to gain control of one of them? You could command it?"

Deet bit her lip. "It was more like puppetry, actually. I wasn't giving it commands so much as um...pulling its strings? Anyway, it worked. I could only do it for a few moments on the first try, but I've been practicing since then. I think I've got my technique down enough now that I can take one over without making it too obvious to any nearby skeksis or garthim. I can even juggle two at a time now, but it's really hard."

"Don't overdo it," cautioned Rian, even as a thrill of excitement went through him. "Deet, this is incredible! If you can control Garthim even for a little while, it gives us a major advantage!"

"That's what my goal was! I can lend my help to the rescue effort instead of just following along like a spirit, unable to do more than watch. I've been working on it day and night. Maybe I can eventually control a whole group of them at once and—"

"Deet," interrupted Rian, alarmed, "you're already doing enough. Don't forget that you're handling dangerous energy and it could seriously hurt or kill you. In fact if I'd known you were planning to try this, I probably would have tried to stop you."

She settled, looking at him with gentle calm. "I know you would have. That's why I didn't tell you. I needed to see if I could do it first, and I didn't want to worry you."

"Well, you pulled it off." He smiled at her, still amazed and a bit awed. "You are a goddess amongst Gelfling, Deet. I want to be your husband."

Her eyes bugged out. "What?"

"What?" Rian repeated, also realizing what had just flown out of his mouth. He panicked. "I didn't say anything."

"Yes you did," insisted Deet, scooting closer to him. "You just asked me to marry you!"

"No, I said you're amazing!" Rian started to sweat despite the cool temperatures of the day.

"I specifically heard you tell me I'm a goddess," argued the Grottan, "and then you said you want to be my husband. Have you got sun fever, or am I just so exhausted that I'm hearing things?"

He'd backed himself into a corner with his impulses, and Rian couldn't take it back now without offending Deet or hurting her feelings. There was a game he used to play as a childling where one gelfling would say something, and the second would reply with the first thought that sprang to mind, without thinking about it or changing their answer. It was called the "Truth Telling" game and he still sometimes played it with himself just to figure out how he really felt about something.

Apparently, he really wanted Deet as his mate.

"All right," he sighed, hot in the face with embarrassment. "I spoke out of impulse. I just went with my first reaction, and I didn't think it through before I opened my mouth."

"So...you didn't mean it." Deet's ears drooped, and she looked away. "Of course you didn't mean it. You're a prince now and I'm a dirty—"

"Don't you finish that sentence." Rian put one hand in hers and with the other, he caressed her soil-smudged face. "You aren't a 'dirty Grottan', Deet."

She glanced down at herself with a frown. "I'm certainly not a _clean_ Grottan."

He couldn't help but chuckle. "All right, so you're a bit grubby right now, and with good reason. What I mean is that there's nothing wrong with you. Not a thing. You could be covered head to toe in cave mud and I'd still think you were beautiful."

Some of the hurt faded from her eyes, but she was still wary. "Still, you didn't mean what you said."

"The thing is, I _did_ mean it." Rian held her gaze, trying to articulate. "I think you know I've been leading up to it. I might be awkward sometimes when I want to kiss you, but I think I've otherwise been pretty clear about my feelings for you."

She blushed, dropping her gaze shyly. "I wonder sometimes if I'm just imagining the way you look at me. I think maybe our kisses don't mean the same thing to you as they do to me."

"They do," assured Rian, "and you haven't imagined anything. It isn't that I didn't mean what I said, Deet. It's that I wasn't supposed to say it right now. When all of this is happening. I was going to wait until we had a break in all the fighting, and hopefully wouldn't have our world threatening to collapse around us. I thought it would sound more sincere if I didn't say it while we have the risk of death hanging over our heads."

"And when is that going to happen, Rian?" she asked dryly.

He closed his eyes and bowed his head. "Not likely soon. That's a valid point. I suppose waiting for the perfect moment wasn't a very well thought out plan on my part."

"It wasn't," she informed him bluntly. She squeezed his hand, and she smiled when he looked at her again. "But it's sweet that you wanted it to be special. Do you know what, though?"

"What?" He was blushing deeper and becoming more nervous, bracing himself for rejection. Maybe he'd misread her. "It's too soon, isn't it? I've pressured you."

"No, not at all! I was just going to tell you that you don't need to wait for a special moment." Deet's gaze softened on him. "It's special enough to me that you want it."

Rian's tension deflated like a bladder, and he slumped with relief. "Oh, that's good to know. When all of this is over, whether because we take the castle or migrate to another land, I'll ask again. Your feelings might change by then."

"I don't think they will, but we can't exactly have a bonding ceremony right now anyway."

"Right," he agreed. Now that it was out in the open and not hanging between them, Rian's confidence was restored and he felt more at ease. "This new information needs to be shared with our fighters. We need to be as prepared as possible, and I don't want any of them accidentally attacking a garthim you've taken over. I don't know what that would do to you."

"I don't know either," confessed Deet. "If a garthim I'm controlling gets hurt, I might just lose contact with it. I might also feel it through the link, though, and it could put me into shock."

"Then we have to be careful to avoid that. Is there a way you can let any of us know when you've got control of one of them? A signal of some kind, or another way to communicate at least with me?"

The green tone of Deet's face deepened in color around her cheeks and nose as she blushed heavily. "Um...for now I think I'll just do my best to pick out one far enough from the main fighting to be safe. I can wave at you once I have it."

Rian wondered what her other idea might have been, but then he got distracted by the idea of being waved at by a garthim. It was hard to visualize. "Can Garthim even make a gesture like that?"

"I'm sure they can. It just isn't a gesture they would commonly use to communicate. I think by the time I signal you, the fighting will have started. Any Skeksis there should be too occupied to notice one of their garthim isn't acting right."

Rian nodded. "It may work. What was the other idea?"

Deet looked away, blushing again. "Just a passing thought. I need to think on it a while, see how this works out first. It's a bit...drastic and complicated, compared to a simple wave."

Seeing that she was uncomfortable discussing it further, Rian let it drop. He was probably going to lose sleep wondering what it was that could make her blush like that, but Deet was already under a lot of pressure. He didn't want to make it worse.

"All right. I'll come to you the night before we mobilize for the strike, so that you'll know when we'll be on the move and can join us in the dream world. We should have enough crystal spears to take on the pit, but we may need you to 'go out' or whatever you call it to confirm the number of garthim there on the day before we move in."

"Of course," agreed Deet. "Right now the Skeksis don't know that we know anything about this holding pen or the new weapons, so they shouldn't have a reason to think they need more guards there."

"They'll know after this," said Rian grimly.

He harbored some doubts about attacking the slave pit before the castle for that very reason. They would lose the advantage of surprise by revealing their new weapons before raiding the castle, but it would take a lot more time to gather enough forces and weapons to mount a strong attack against the castle. Their drained brethren were living on borrowed time as it was though, and each day they stayed in that pit was another day their bodies could be cut up or destroyed.

Rescue of the prisoners had to come first, and liberation of the unconsumed essence flasks was a top priority as well. Even if they failed to overcome and subdue the enemy, if they could retrieve the stolen essence it would still be a victory.

Deet suddenly gave him a quick, sharp kiss on the lips, surprising Rian.

"Well, you'd better go and talk to the council about this so you can all prepare," she said in a rush. "I need to get some rest, and I should open up your way out while I still have enough strength to do it."

"Oh," he said, a little stupefied by the sudden kiss. "Right. Of course. I'll come again before we march, and I'll let you know if anything changes in the meantime."

"Goodnight, Rian."

"Goodnight, Deet."

* * *

Seladon wasn't as open to the proposal of evacuating to a new land as Rian had been. To the north in Ha'rar, Aughra was having council with the All Maudra and she too revealed the conclusion reached by herself and the Grottan in their astral communications.

"Think about your child," urged Mother Aughra as Seladon paced the audience chamber restlessly. "What sort of life will little Rhue have if Skeksis win the fight, hmm? Want to see your daughter grow up? Then take Aughra's advice. Be ready to flee if you cannot win. Better to start a new beginning and survive than to stay and wait for the end, Seladon."

The young Vapran leader looked around at their surroundings, aching and troubled. Aughra got out of her seat with a grunt and hobbled over to her. The ancient laid a matronly hand on the gelfling female's shoulder.

"All this," said Aughra, "are just things. Homes can be rebuilt. Things can be replaced. Gelfling lives cannot."

Aughra released Seladon's shoulder and placed her gnarled hand over the swell of the gelfling's womb. "This precious life in you...cannot be replaced."

"Neither can my husband," Seladon replied softly, brow knitting with conflict. "I can't leave without him. Not while there is a chance he could be saved."

"Didn't suggest that," grunted Aughra. "You have some time, child. Not much, but some. Seladon must be the All Maudra that looks to the future, not the past."

"We may yet win," suggested Seladon, turning her head to look at Aughra.

Aughra nodded solemnly. "You may. Or, you may not. You are going to lead Gelfling into a new age, child. Good or bad, Aughra cannot say. Choose wisely, but don't wait too long."

Aughra patted her arm, suggested she get some rest and then waddled out of the audience chamber to leave the All Maudra to her thoughts.

Seladon placed both hands over her belly, feeling the life inside of her. By Jeni's reckoning, she might soon start to feel her daughter moving. How long would it take to gather enough materials, build enough ships and store enough provisions to get every clan off these shores and over the vast blue to a new land? Seladon doubted it could be accomplished before her baby arrived, even if they started preparing tomorrow.

The doors to the chamber opened again, and Seladon turned around expecting to see Mother Aughra coming back in to try and usher her off to bed. Instead, she saw Onica walking quietly through the doors.

Surprised to see her after so long, Seladon stared as Onica came in and the doors behind her. Onica was wearing a simple scarf on her head tonight, rather than the elaborate and confusing twists of headwear Seladon had seen her in before. The Sifan gazed at Seladon solemnly, her deep auburn curls spilling out from under her scarf. Her hair seemed longer now, but otherwise she hadn't changed.

"I wanted to have a word alone with you," explained Onica, walking over to her. "Forgive the late hour. I flew here as quickly as I could. Can you talk with me, All Maudra? It can wait until morning if it must, but I do need to discuss some things with you and I would rather prepare you now."

Seladon nodded, curious despite her fatigue. "Are you here to talk to me about this exodus Mother Aughra is proposing?"

Onica came up short, expressing some surprise. "Mother Aughra? She's here?"

"Yes, she was just here a moment ago. She just left."

"Really?" Onica cast a thoughtful glance behind her, and she smiled. "How difficult that one is to keep up with. I wish I knew how she did it."

Seladon frowned. "What are you talking about? She moves only a little faster than that vapor smoking Mystic we've been hosting."

"Vapor smoking...eh, all right. That conversation can come another time." Onica stepped closer to you. "So Mother Aughra spoke to you about migrating?"

"Yes, and I assume you must know something about it, considering your clan are the sailors amongst us. It seems I was right."

"Yes. We've been mapping uncharted waters for months now, trying to broaden our explorations both for trade and discovery. Recently though, we've found other lands across the sea. These lands are comparable to ours, but the size of the continent is smaller than this one. There are two nearby islands as well that would serve as fishing hubs and possible ports for my clan."

Something about this whole conversation seemed odd to Seladon, but she couldn't put a finger on what. "So you think these lands you've discovered could serve as a new home for us? _All_ of us?"

"With patience and greater diplomacy than what we've practiced in the past, yes. Maudra Ethri asked me to tell you that she wishes to discuss it personally with you tomorrow. As for the war efforts, the Sifa will stand with you."

"That's welcome news," replied Seladon, masking the relief in her voice. Now she officially had the support of every clan, and that made her feel more secure in their chances at success. "Please tell Maudra Ethri that I welcome an audience with her. Perhaps afterwards we can hold another one with Maudra Laesid, Maudra Seethi and the council. We need to discuss recent developments so that everyone is up to date."

"Of course." Onica smiled, and her gaze went to Seladon's midriff. "Ah, you're showing now. May I?"

Seladon nodded when the Sifan hovered her hand in wait over her belly. "At least you've asked first. Some others could take a lesson from that."

Onica rested one hand on Seladon's womb, then the other on the opposite side. She closed her eyes and hummed a tune softly under her breath for a moment. When she opened her eyes again and looked up at the puzzled All Maudra, she said something that nearly made Seladon break down.

"She'll have her father's strong will and freckles, her mother's beauty and wit, and the song of the sea in her heart. All Gelfling will be lucky to have her join our numbers, but the Sifa most of all."

Seladon stared at the other female who—like herself—had become a figurehead of her clan at an uncommonly young age. She had no words. Indeed, a lump had formed in her throat at the mention of what traits Onica thought the childling would inherit from her father.

Onica straightened up and stepped away, looking toward the window when a breeze blew in through it. "I was serious about what I said to you after the first victory of this war, Seladon. I will be your friend and ally."

Seladon nodded, believing that. Her initial mistrust in Onica was no more, and she thought the Sifan girl must be quite a special gelfling to have earned her sister Tavra's trust and devotion.

Onica walked towards the doors leading out of the chamber, and they opened for her. The Sifan elder looked back at Seladon to offer one parting comment.

"Rest well tonight, All Maudra. Tomorrow we arrive with the tide, and I'll see you shortly after that."

Seladon raised a brow. "What do you mean you'll 'arrive with the tide'? You're already—"

Onica faded from sight like smoke blown away on the breeze, and Seladon snapped her mouth shut. She looked wildly this way and that, half expecting the tricky Sifan to jump out at her from the shadows.

"Onica?" called the bewildered Vapra leader. Beginning to get angry, feeling like she was being pranked, Seladon marched for the open doors. "Hello? Why are there no guards out here?"

She didn't make it more than a step through the threshold. Instead of coming out into the corridor on the other side, Seladon jerked awake with a gasp, sitting bolt upright in her big, lonely bed. She twisted this way and that, looking around with wide, frantic eyes.

A dream. It had been a dream. It had felt so real, though. Like the time Seladon had gone to dreamfast with Deet and somehow ended up in...

"The dream world," whispered Seladon, understanding. That explained why she'd felt so lucid, why she'd felt both Aughra and Onica's touch, why she could even smell the scent of night blooming flowers on the breeze. It also explained why the doors were unguarded and how they seemed to open and close on their own, and how Seladon ended up in the audience chamber to begin with, when the last thing she recalled before that was going to bed.

Mother Aughra and Elder Onica hadn't truly been there in the flesh. Seladon wasn't sure where the former was at right now or when she would return, but she felt certain in her heart that she would see Onica sometime in the morning, as promised.

So when Onica told her she'd "flown" there as fast as she could, she mustn't have been referring to using her wings as Seladon had assumed. She'd flown there in spirit.

"Why can't they not just seek an audience in the flesh with me like everyone else?" sighed the All Maudra. There had to be a reason behind the both of them coming to her that way in the same night to discuss virtually the same thing. Onica said something about wanting to prepare her before their actual meeting.

It made Seladon's head hurt to try and reason it all out. Either she was going mad from all the anxiety and pressure, or she'd really been visited in the night by two individuals in the dream world. She supposed she would find out when she woke in the morning and took a trip to the port on the coast.

* * *

"They are supposed to be here," Seladon muttered, speaking to herself but overheard by Captain Nethrid and her other paladin bodyguard. The pair of them glanced at each other before following behind her down the sloping path to the shoreline. Up ahead was the port where smaller Sifan vessels docked. Dotting the beach closer to the cliff line, out of range of high tide water, were huts, canopies and tents.

There were a few Sifa out and about; some bringing in fresh catches from shallow waters, others busily crafting charms and trinkets of sea glass, shells and wood. There was a fire burning on the beach for the occupants to roast food with, and Seladon lifted her skirts to avoid getting sand on them while approaching.

Three Sifan were sitting around the fire talking; a male and two females. When they noticed Seladon approaching and recognized her, they hastily stood up and gave little bows of respect, greeting the All Maudra with mild surprise.

Seladon held up a hand to stop their offers of charms, herbal teas for her condition and readings.

"I haven't come for any of that today," informed Seladon. "Tell me, when do you expect your Maudra to sail in?"

The trio looked at one another in confusion, and the young woman on the left answered politely, but uncertainly. "I'm sorry All Maudra, but we don't understand your question."

"Maudra Ethri," Seladon clarified, wondering if these three had imbibed in something that impaired their wits. Sifan, like Dousan, were known to do such things to help them achieve visions. "When do you expect her to arrive on the Omerya?"

If anything, the group looked even more confused. Seladon checked her temper an reminded herself that her expectation of the Sifa clan ship's arrival could be based solely on delusion. She also wanted to try and be patient with these gelfling, because her beloved husband sprang from the same roots as they did.

"I just want to know," Seladon told them as calmly as she could muster, "if you've heard any news of when your clan ship is next due to arrive on this coast."

"Begging your pardon, my lady," said the male, "but it could be moons or months from now. The last we heard, the Omerya traveled to Cera-Na and may not move from there for some time. The only vessels we expect to come in today are mostly fishing skiffs. Nobody's said anything about the clan ship or the Maudra making port."

"All Maudra," called Captain Nethrid from behind Seladon, "Perhaps we should return to the citadel and prepare for your next council meeting."

"Brea is working on outlining the points of discussion," Seladon answered absently, scanning the horizon with her eyes, "as agreed. She should have everything ready long before the council assembles."

"My lady, you've been under duress by the Skeksis. You're agitated this morning and—"

"I am always," said the All Maudra, turning in place to affix her captain with a stare, "agitated, Nethrid. No matter where I go or what I'm doing, it is a constant for me these days."

Looking regretful and apologetic, Nethrid saluted. "Of course, All Maudra. I only meant to look out for your better interests. Upsetting yourself further isn't healthy."

Seladon made an irritated sound in her throat. She began to retaliate, to put the militant female in her place and remind her that pregnant or not, she was capable of taking care of herself. The sound of a seafarer bell distracted her, followed by some shouting further down the shoreline. Seladon's pulse quickened with hope, and she left off her admonishments to her paladin to begin running towards the commotion.

She could hear her bodyguards' hurried footsteps in the sand behind her, along with the footsteps of other gelfling. As she traversed the sandy beach, keeping one hand low on her belly to support the extra weight there, Seladon noticed other Sifa stopping what they were doing to go and investigate as well.

Upon rounding a curb of the shoreline where the cliffs partly blocked the view from the west, Seladon was able to see the many spires and sails of a huge vessel approaching in the distance. She had only viewed the Sifa clan ship once as an adolescent, but it was a sight one didn't easily forget. She recognized it immediately, even though it was so far away it had just crested the horizon and appeared tiny.

Seladon's relief made her knees shake, and she absently grabbed Captain Nethrid's arm for support. The taller female was quick to put an arm around her providing a more solid brace to keep her upright.

It had come, as promised. Unless it was absurd coincidence, Seladon hadn't mistaken a lucid dream for an out of body encounter. The Sifa were returning, and now representatives of all seven clans would be present to lead their people into the next battle.

"Do you see that?" someone remarked. "Look at all those ships following in its wake!"

Another Sifan onlooker spoke up. "We didn't have _that_ many in the fleet, did we? Why are they all coming in at once?"

Seladon felt eyes on her from every direction as gelfling began to connect the appearance of the fleet with the unexpected presence of their All Maudra. Nethrid too was looking at Seladon, and when the Vapran leader met her captain's gaze, the latter appeared humbled and contrite.

"I stand corrected, my lady," offered Nethrid. "Forgive a doubting fool."

Seladon turned her gaze to the western sea horizon again, her confidence restored both in herself and in her hopes for the future. "You are forgiven, Captain."

* * *

-To be continued


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Amri! Juni! Granted I'm still learning about the former, but I've wanted to add Juni to this story for a while now. Also, I rather like "Jingle Sisters" as a thing from now on.

Rian had to visit Ha'rar once again, and this time he was in the company of Maudra Mera. They brought their personal guard along with them, including the Drenchen twins, Kylan, Hup and of course, Lore. They arrived at the capital in good time and were immediately given escort to the citadel. Extra seating had been brought in and arranged in the audience chamber to accommodate everyone, and Seladon was waiting on her throne.

There were a couple faces Rian didn't recognize; both Grottan and young. Argot was too frail to travel far from the caves, so she had chosen representatives from her clan to attend the council in her stead.

One of the Grottan representatives was particularly unique looking; a young male with both sides of his head shaved, leaving a thick stripe of stark white hair growing long down the crown, tumbling down his back. He wore dark gray garments that Rian identified as the same material of Deet's dress, and he had a deep blue cloak around his shoulders. The other Grottan was a female of around the same age. Not so remarkable in appearance as her male counterpart, she was wearing a simple gown of dark green with gray sleeves. Her hair was mostly white like many Grottan Rian had seen, with a few strands of blue-green scattered throughout.

Brea, seated beside Seladon's throne, invited everyone to take a seat so that the meeting could begin. Even SkekGra and UrGoh were present, and it was clear by the mystified and wary looks on some faces that many attending Gelfling didn't know how to react to them. Those that had met the pair before were casual enough to ease the minds of those who hadn't, though.

"Thank you all for arriving in a timely manner to attend this council today," Seladon gracefully began. "Maudra Seethi cannot be here with us today, as she has matters to attend in the Wellspring. Rest assured, the Dousan will be a part of the resistance efforts to come."

Seladon got up with slightly more difficulty than usual, due to her condition. "You've all come here to discuss plans to liberate our kin from Skeksis' grasp and lay siege to the Castle of the Crystal, but new events have arisen that many of you haven't been informed of. For the first order of business, I invite Prince Rian of the Stonewood to take the floor and share his news with us. Afterwards, Maudra Ethri and myself have additional matters to lay before the council."

Seladon gestured regally at Rian. "Prince, the floor is yours."

Rian took a deep breath, glanced at his companions and then stood up to address the council. He was sure this was going to be a long, tiring meeting for all of them.

* * *

There was some understandable shock, doubt and bewilderment tossed around in the chamber by the time both Seladon and Rian shared their newest information with those that hadn't been privy to it yet. The Grottan ambassadors didn't seem all that shocked or disbelieving when Rian talked about Deet and what her abilities had to offer the war effort. When Seladon and Ethri explained the evacuation plan, however, there wasn't a silent mouth in the room. Rian alone didn't express surprise or outrage when Seladon proposed a possible exodus across the sea.

It took some time after that to calm everyone down, as anticipated. It might have helped if Mother Aughra had been present to lend her voice, but perhaps not. Gelfling were being asked to consider giving up their homelands, leave precious valuables behind and start over in strange new territory. It was only natural for them to be outraged by the thought, but in the end after debating back and forth, listening to all sides of the matter and discussing it at length, people calmed down enough to listen to reason.

Seladon assured them all that she was just as grieved as they were, and she hadn't come to the decision to make this a backup plan lightly. Perhaps it helped lend weight to her words that she was now visibly showing her pregnancy, and everyone knew by now that her mate had been taken from her. Nobody could dispute that she stood to lose more than most by abandoning their lands to the Skeksis, should the resistance fail.

Once there was enough general agreement that migration would be the best chance of survival for Gelfling, the discussion moved on to war strategies. One matter that couldn't be ignored was the complication of moving large numbers of Gelfling without the Skeksis finding out. With their Crystal Bat spies at their disposal, the enemy wouldn't be easy to sneak up on. That factor also complicated the potential exodus. Skeksis wouldn't stand by and watch their intended source of rejuvenation leave their shores and go beyond their reach. Ethri already suspected the Skeksis were aware that her clan's fleet had nearly doubled over the months.

That was where they got stuck. They couldn't move large armies without the substantial risk of Crystal Bats relaying the information to their masters. It was hard to tell the difference between the Skeksis' spies and regular bats from a distance too. The Grottan ambassadors confirmed that Crystal Bats had been spotted in the caves as well, so both Gelfling and Arathim residents there were ill at ease and on the alert.

"So we need to find a way to converge on our targets in smaller formations," suggested Rian, "and possibly from different directions. By the time Skeksis realize more than one regiment is moving in on their territory, they shouldn't have enough time to mount a more solid defense."

"That still leaves the problem of them seeing us coming," one of the Spriton attendees pointed out. "Skeksis aren't stupid. They are cunning and well versed in deception. Just look at how long they had all of us fooled into thinking they were benevolent! By their vary nature, they'll be suspicious the moment they see more than a handful of us from any clan setting foot in their territory."

Mera nodded with agreement. "Yes. No Gelfling dare trod on Skeksis land these days. Since Garthim began attacking, most are too afraid to leave their homes. Skeksis are too clever not to realize this."

"But they do think of Gelfling as weak," reminded Seladon. "They have made no secret of that, since this all began. Clever and deceitful though they are, it's also in their nature to underestimate Gelfling. I doubt even our last victory at Stone in the Wood was enough to garnish proper respect for long."

"Hmm, except for the Dousan," Brea mused, glancing at her betrothed seated beside her. "They do seem at least a little intimidated by the desert clan."

That statement brought yet another issue to the table that nobody had considered before, until the Vapran Librarian pointed it out. "But if they fear the Dousan, won't that work against us gaining an element of surprise? If seeing large groups of other clans advancing on their castle might put them on alert, then seeing a force of Dousan coming...well..."

"Skeksis poop," supplied Hup succinctly.

There were some surprised snickers amongst the assembly, and some scandalized stares from others.

"No, they're right," sighed Rian. He looked to Rek'yr, who was smirking a bit with his own amusement. "Skeksis fear your clan at least enough to consider you a more marginal threat than the rest of us, despite our success against them at Stone in the Wood. In some ways that gives an advantage, but it could prompt them into action much quicker."

Rek'yr's smirk faded, his handsome features becoming somber and faintly troubled. "This is a valid concern. For my clan to join this fight without alerting the enemy too soon, we may have to approach after the battle has already begun."

"There must be a way to strike with more precision," argued Naia. "If we send the clans in one at a time, the losses are going to add up all the quicker. It needs to be a united front, not wave after wave of fodder."

The Grottan boy with the shaved hair raised his hand and waved it back and forth, drawing Seladon's attention to him. "Excuse me, but I may have an idea."

"Yes? Er...I'm sorry; I wasn't given your name."

"Amri," supplied the Grottan.

"Amri, then. Please share your thoughts with us."

The young man looked around at the assembly with his large, almond-shaped black eyes. "Well, you daylighters—unf..."

His companion nudged him sharply, and Amri rubbed his side before resuming. "I mean you all are talking about doing this overground. Out in plain sight. If that's what the Skeksis are expecting from Gelfling, why not try a different way?"

Seladon frowned, exchanging a glance with the Librarian. "Some Vapra are adept at camouflaging ourselves to the point of nigh invisibility, Sir, but I hardly think that will be of much use when the rest of you lack that ability."

"I'm not talking about using Vliyaya," explained Amri. "I'm talking about taking a different rout to the castle; one that can't be seen above ground. Use the tunnel systems. Surely there are some that can lead to the castle, and we won't be seen before we get there."

"The Spitter tunnels," said Rian in a suddenly excited voice. "Yes! They open up beneath the castle. When I was a guard there, we were always on the lookout for any Arathim soldiers or spies trying to sneak in. Now that those tunnels are abandoned, I'll bet the Garthim have been using them to get around. That would explain how abruptly some of these attacks have been happening."

"They find an outlet close to a settlement," Brea said, picking up on Rian's thoughts, "and they move in on Gelfling and Podling villages from there. It doesn't leave enough time for evacuation or defense before the danger is spotted!"

"So in other words," Gurjin reasoned, "we'd be walking straight into the tunnels the garthim use all the time to fetch and bring back prisoners. Not a good plan."

"Oh." Amri looked crestfallen. "I didn't realize that."

"It wasn't a bad idea," Naia defended. "It might not be possible to use it for this fight, but you did bring a new idea to the table. Marching on the castle in full view isn't our only option, and if we can't take the tunnels all the way to it, we might still use them to get as close as we can. Skeksis would expect it of Spitters, but not of us."

Seladon nodded. "It's a valid consideration. Thank you, Amri, for your insight. Speaking of the Arathim, do you or your companion have any news concerning their interest in this? Have they expressed any desire to join this fight, as they did the last one?"

"I'm sorry, All Maudra," answered the young woman next to Amri, "but the Arathim have done all they intend to do in this struggle."

"They are willing to help defend against Skeksis aggression," Amri added, "especially in Grot, but they aren't willing to attack directly. They've suffered some losses due to Garthim encroachment in their territories, so their priority now is to protect and preserve."

"I see. I can't really say that I'm surprised." Seladon walked back to her throne, had a seat on it and picked up her goblet of water to refresh herself. "Very well, we all know what challenges we face, new ideas have been presented and we have an accord on what our first priorities should be. I suggest we focus on our strategy to deal with the Slave Pit for now. We can exchange ideas on how best to conceal our units after we've liberated the prisoners."

The council was in agreement, and the plan to free the drained was underway.

* * *

This was it. The second event in a chain that could lead to the fall of the Skeksis, or the ruin of Gelfling civilization. Seladon paced in her bed chamber, thinking of everything that had occurred in just under one month. She thought of Kylan's quiet suggestion to her after the meeting concurred three days ago, and how she'd at first scoffed at the idea he'd presented to her.

Now wasn't the time to light the fires of prophecy and meditate on the future. At least, that was her initial attitude. Her head was so filled with thoughts of rescuing her mate—or at least his body—and ensuring the Skeksis could do no more to him or the other prisoners than they'd already done. It took her a few moments of listening to the song teller's reasoning to see the value of it.

Gelfling needed guidance. They needed answers. A spiritual ceremony might not provide those answers, but with the dawn of a battle that could determine their fate on the distant rise, it might give them courage and comfort to face the storm. She had agreed to let him organize the ceremony at his discretion, and those that wished to partake in it were free to do so. They deserved whatever reassurances they could get, considering what was at stake.

As for herself, there was no comfort. No peace for Seladon without her mate at her side or at the very least, laid to rest in Thra's embrace.

It was perhaps ironic that while thinking yet again of her captive husband, Seladon heard a scratching sound at her window, followed by a clicking and a squeak that had a familiar sound to it. She turned slowly to look in the direction it came from, and she froze.

There on the sill of her open chamber window was a crystal bat. It had perched itself in place, and it didn't move even when she noticed it. Seladon stared at it, and she started to inch toward her chamber door. The creature followed her movements, turning its body to keep her in its sight.

Seladon parted her lips to call out to the paladins guarding the other side of her doors, but then she heard something from the bat that definitely wasn't ordinary. A voice, and it was one that she knew all too well and despised more with each day.

"All Maudra, I beseech you not to go any further," said SkekZok's voice softly, resonating from the crystal set in the bat's torso. "I have a message. No harm will come to you. Step closer."

Seladon narrowed her eyes at the image she now saw reflected from the crystal set into the bat's body. It was tiny, hard to see from this distance, but even from where she stood across the room, she recognized that twisted visage looking out at her. No fool, Seladon walked over to her bed and retrieved the dirk she kept under her pillow. She stared at the creature on her sill, more than tempted to put an end to its miserable life.

"Call your paladins," said SkekZok's image. "Slay my messenger, if you wish. I've contacted you in good faith, Seladon. I want to show you something and give you one last chance to reconsider our offer to you."

"Your 'offer' is poison," Seladon ground out, taking one bare-footed step at a time toward the waiting creature. "Your words are a lie. Obviously, you think I'm stupid enough to believe you would actually follow through with your offer."

"You were willing to sacrifice them before," SkekZok pointed out.

The words were the truth, even if all else wasn't. Strangely, it didn't hurt as much as it once did to hear them. Seladon gave a sharp nod. "I have come to terms with my mistakes, skeksis. You can't influence me by pointing them out again. If my penance for what I've done is to lose my husband for the sake of many, then so be it. I know that my husband would agree."

SkekZok began to look annoyed. "How many do you think you would actually save, All Maudra? Either you give us the gelfling promised once before, or we take them by force. The offer I presented to you might not be ideal, but it would save lives in its own way. Some of the ones the garthim bring back to the castle are so damaged that they bleed out before they can be drained. Others die on the way. All of this means—"

"Stop it—"

"—that we must send _more_ Garthim. Raid _more_ villages. Think of the numbers, All Maudra. Seven from each clan, selected by yourself, or ten or more by Garthim claw. The best I can do to help you is urge you to reconsider. Gelfling will be harvested, nonetheless."

Seladon took a steadying breath, stopping before the motionless bat and staring at the image in its crystal center. "I once thought of you, almost, as a friend."

"As I did you, All Maudra," said the Ritual Master. "Alas, we don't live in a world that allows it. Choose, Seladon, and I hope you will choose the path least bloody."

"You already know what my answer must be."

"Are you certain? I think there's something you need to see before you finalize that answer."

SkekZok moved and reached for something, and Seladon's heart stopped for a moment when a figure—quite small in comparison to the Ritual Master—tumbled into view. SkekZok pulled Vaurin close, holding the drained gelfling captive before him. Vaurin's head was tilted like a doll, his eyes blank and white, his mouth slack. It appeared he was sitting in his captor's lap, like a childling on the knee of an adult. The

Unlike the last time Seladon had laid eyes on her husband, he looked unkempt and dirty. His droopy eyes were bruised with dark circles of exhaustion, and while his body hadn't deteriorated further, his skin had a more sallow cast to it. Vaurin looked sickly.

"I assume by your expression that you understand," said the Ritual Master. He looked down at the gelfling in his hold, and he clucked his tongue. "Such a pity. I wanted to take care of him and keep him in a comfortable position as my personal servant, but the Emperor was...unimpressed with your husband's ability to perform even the simplest tasks. The decision was taken out of my hands, and your mate now lives with the other 'fodder' slaves until another use is found for him. If you will not retract your decision, I'm afraid I can't protect him from SkekTek for much longer."

Seladon didn't move, but not because of the admittedly distressing implications of Vaurin being "fodder". Her expression became as cold as the ice on the Claw Mountains because SkekZok had just inadvertently revealed that Vaurin was no longer being kept in the castle. His body, if not his essence, was not as out of her reach as she'd supposed.

She kept that icy expression etched on her face, fearful of betraying even a glimmer of hope to her clever adversary. She nearly reiterated that there would be no bargain and told him to be gone, but the calculating part of her remained strong enough under duress to think strategically. She had fully intended to turn him down again, believing in her heart that Vaurin would understand and approve. If she did that, however, she gave the Ritual Master no incentive to keep Vaurin's body in one piece or refrain from drinking his essence.

"For how long," she asked stiffly, allowing some uncertainty to creep onto her face, "can you extend this 'protection', SkekZok?"

The skeksis cocked his head, bird-like. He studied her like one of his ceremonial blades, searching for burs or flaws in her countenance. After several tense moments, he glanced at Vaurin again and gave a disjointed looking shrug.

"That would depend. You seem torn now, All Maudra. Would you like to retract your decision?"

"I...need time," Seladon answered after a pause, defeat heavy in her voice. "Time to think on this, before I give my final answer."

He sighed, but Seladon thought she detected a glint of satisfaction in his eyes. "How much time? I've already gone against my better judgment by giving you another chance to reconsider."

Her mind raced as she calculated the remaining wait before the next blow would be struck. This was delicate; if she asked for too much time, SkekZok would likely refuse. If she didn't ask for enough, the resistance might not get to Vaurin in time. Seladon knew in her heart that she would get no more time to answer than whatever they agreed on this night, so she had to make it both advantageous and believable.

"Four moonrises," she answered at last. "Give me that time to make my decision and plan accordingly, should I agree to your terms."

"Three," countered SkekZok with a slight narrowing of his eyes. "I respect you, but I am no miracle worker. Three is the best I can promise. After that, he lives or dies according to what you decide."

Seladon took a breath. Her ruse had worked. She'd deliberately asked for two more days than she should actually need. She did her best to make her excitement seem like anxiety. "And his essence will remain untouched? His body unharmed and cared for?"

The Ritual Master nodded. "Of course. The Emperor himself wishes for this trade to take place, All Maudra. Until you agree to the terms or give final rejection, your mate's essence flask will be under my personal care. Of course if you don't concur by the third day, I'll have to drink it before anyone disputes my claim to it. Let's not worry about that right now, though."

For the first time since this all began, Seladon felt like smirking in triumph. It was too soon for her to declare victory, though. She had to play this next part with exceptional care, because if any part of it backfired, her husband would be lost to her.

"Please keep him at the castle until then," she requested. "I can see that he isn't well. You seemed to be taking good care of him before. I...can't bear to see him in such a state, especially if he has some sense of awareness as you've claimed."

"Regrettably, I can't do that," answered the Ritual Master. "The Emperor doesn't want this gelfling under foot. Not even locked in my chambers."

"Surely there must be something you can do," pressed Seladon. "If my husband's body fails through neglect, restoring his essence may not be enough to save him. If I'm to consider this bargain, I need to know that he'll survive whatever process you intend to use to restore him. I won't sacrifice my people in return for a dead mate."

"Hmm, I see your point. Very well, All Maudra..."

Seladon held her breath, terror clawing at her heart with the sinking feeling that her ploy had just backfired on her.

"...I will visit him each day at the pit," SkekZok went on, "and monitor his condition myself. I haven't the time to provide luxury treatment to a slave, but I can at least tidy him up and make him sleep at night like the others."

Seladon frowned. Vaurin didn't sleep? It occurred to her that she knew nothing about the needs of the drained. "Please see to it that he's fed and quenched as well."

"Oh, no need for that. They require only rest now."

As horrific as the information was, it was still useful to Seladon. They still had no idea whether they _could_ restore the harvest victims even if they retrieved their essence. She tried not to dwell on the thought of having to wait until the next conjunction to have Vaurin fully back again—if theories regarding the event and the crystal were even correct.

"Is this enough for you?" asked SkekZok after a few moment's silence.

Seladon gave a curt nod, blinking. She had no talent for faking tears, but she was known for trying her best to conceal them when emotional. Hopefully that was the impression she'd given when she'd lapsed into contemplation.

"I doubt anything is going to be enough for the innocent lives you ask for, but I'm...not sure I can live without him."

"Ah, yes," said SkekZok a bit smugly. "Your kind do form strange attachments to one another. Well, try to see it as an arrangement for the greater good. Agree to it, and Gelfling will lose no greater numbers than the sum required for our needs. Garthim attacks will end and peace can be established again."

Seladon didn't need to fabricate the shudder that went through her at his notion of "peace", and she could hardly believed that at one time, she had supported the same idea.

"I believe this meeting is concluded, Ritual Master. Now have your pet spy fly away out of my sight, before I make use of my blade on it."

"As you wish, All Maudra. Fare well."

Seladon didn't relax until the image faded and the creature bearing the message seemed to shake itself, spread its wings and retreat. She went to the window and watched it fly out of sight through the night sky. Much as she enjoyed the warmer air coming in from the valleys with the promise of spring, Seladon closed the etched glass window and latched it. She did the same with the two other windows in her chamber, forsaking the fresh air in exchange for a greater measure of privacy.

She was just about to leave her chamber to search for the Librarian, when a familiar voice floated through the doors from the corridor, followed by a knock.

"All Maudra, is everything all right?"

Seladon opened the doors to admit Captain Nethrid, who appeared more than a little concerned.

"My lady, we heard voices," explained the paladin. "Not just your own, so I know it wasn't a case of you talking in your sleep as you have of late."

Seladon felt no embarrassment over the mention of her unconscious sleeping habits; she had more important things to worry about. "I was just visited by the Ritual Master of the Skeksis," she informed. Seladon heard the steel and ice in her own voice. "How opportune that you posted yourself here tonight, because I was about to go looking for you."

The captain couldn't hide her shock, and she reached for the hilt of her blade, sweeping the chamber beyond Seladon with sharp eyes.

"He isn't here," assured Seladon. "When I say he visited, I mean he sent a crystal bat to my window. Somehow he devised a way to communicate through them. The Skeksis use of these creatures are becoming more inventive and dangerous to us."

"Foul beasts," growled Nethrid. "To dare such a thing...All Maudra, why did you not call out?"

"Because I wanted to hear what he had to say. Now put your blade away and listen carefully to me. SkekZok has just inadvertently created an opportunity for us that can't be passed up, and we need to act quickly."

* * *

Rian met up with the council to discuss plans for the strike force to leave Ha'rar for Stone in the Wood the next morning. When he told the All Maudra that they might do better delaying for another day or two, she quickly struck him down.

"No delays," insisted Seladon. "This needs to happen as scheduled, or even a day sooner if possible."

The others looked at each other in confusion, and Rian spoke up. "All Maudra, we don't have the number of crystal spears yet for the reserves we agreed on. It might take a day or longer to forge the rest."

"Do we have enough for each warrior to have at least two available?" asked Seladon.

Rian nodded. "Of course. Ideally we wanted three times the number of fighters, though."

"You will have to make due with what you have, Prince of the Stonewood," stated Seladon. "There can be no delays, and I'll explain why."

Rian fell silent and listened with the rest of the war council as their All Maudra described her visit with the Ritual Master in her chamber the night before.

"So you see," finished Seladon, "Our move to take the slave pit cannot be delayed, or we lose a vital opportunity. My urgency isn't just for my own sake, fellow gelfling, but for all of us. Liberating both Vaurin and his essence from Skeksis' hands will give us the opportunity to test the theory that drain victims can be restored without the healing of the crystal and the Great Conjunction. SkekZok gave me good reason to believe he carries my husband's essence on his person."

"What if he doesn't?" asked Brea in worried tones. "He may have meant that he keeps Vaurin's essence hidden somewhere in his own chambers."

"That's a possibility," admitted Seladon, "and if that is the case, then it will be out of our reach; at least until we lay siege to the Castle of the Crystal. I know the Ritual Master though, possibly better than any gelfling. He is meticulous about guarding his belongings, and he trusts his fellow Skeksis no more than he trusts outsiders. He's expressed an obsession with eventually supping on my mate's essence, so I don't think he would risk letting it out of his sight for fear that one of his peers might find and drink it."

The description of SkekZok's thirst for the high prince's essence and the back-stabbing ways of the Skeksis made every gelfling in the chamber shudder a bit.

"All right, so he may keep the prince's flask on him," conceded Naia, "but how can we be sure he'll visit the pit each day as promised? We all know Skeksis have no compunctions about lying to Gelfling for their own gains."

"That too, I can't guarantee," agreed Seladon with a sigh. "I'm praying to Thra that his bizarre interest in my husband will be enough to make him follow through. He seems to see Vaurin as his own personal pet. He's...possessive of him, if not affectionate. Being the sort of skeksis that he is, SkekZok would want his 'pet' kept in good condition, like his ritual knives and other tools of his craft. To him, it would reflect badly on him personally if any of his personal belongings were tarnished. I'm wagering that the same hold true for Vaurin. He seemed genuinely dismayed over my husband's neglected state when he revealed him to me. Almost insulted, I would say."

"I would say the timing of the attack is the bigger factor, in that case," suggested Rek'yr, "unless this Ritual Master told you what time of day he intends to visit."

"He didn't specify that, unfortunately. I can only hope our forces strike while SkekZok happens to be there. I don't imagine he'll take more than an hour of his time each day for these visits."

"If only there was some way to confirm that he's there before we strike," mused the unusual boy from Grot named Amri. "Some way to spy on the pit prior to moving in."

"There is," Rian said with a burst of excitement. "My friend Deet who I told you about; the Grottan that can control Garthim for a short time. She could use her abilities to scout un-noticed."

"But then how would she let us know when the Ritual Master is there?" asked Gurjin with a frown. "Unless you two have figured out some way of communicating that you haven't shared with us yet."

Rian winced, and he shook his head. "No. Deet can come to me in dreams sometimes to send messages, but the signal we worked out is all we have. I need to visit her again before we mobilize for the attack. Maybe she'll have some ideas."

Rian looked at Amri curiously. "I'm surprised you don't know her, coming from the same clan. As I understand it, the Grottan only number about three dozen or so."

"I think Deet comes from Domrak, our capital village," explained Amri with a shrug. "I live in a smaller settlement on the outskirts. We're small in numbers, but fairly spread out within our cave networks."

"I see." Rian switched his attention to Seladon. "If there is a way we can rescue both your husband's body and his essence, All Maudra, we'll do our best to find it."

Seladon gave a nod, and it seemed to Rian that there was some gratitude in her eyes. She appeared to have renewed life and hope in her, and that was a good thing. Everyone had been worried and speculating over what might become of the All Maudra and her unborn if her emotional and physical health continued to take a beating.

"Then we're at an accord," stated Seladon. "I declare this meeting to be concluded. Prince Rian, please conduct final departure preparations with your teams with all haste. My paladins have readied land strider mounts and equipment wagons for your inspection."

* * *

Brea waited until everyone had cleared out of the council chamber, and she turned to study her sister's pensive profile. Seladon remained seated on the throne, with one elbow resting on the arm and her chin propped in her hand. Her gaze was far away, perhaps imagining what it would be like to hold her husband again. Seladon's other hand rested on the swell of her belly, rubbing in slow, soothing circles. She hadn't blossomed to the point of being ungainly yet; there were still roughly four months to go before she was full term. Privately, Brea worried that her sister wasn't maintaining a healthy enough weight, but Seladon's chosen midwife assured them that the baby was in good health.

"You think I'm being selfish, don't you?"

The sudden, quietly uttered question gave Brea a little start, and she stared at her sibling's face as the older female turned her head to look at her with hooded amber eyes. Seladon had dropped her arm to the throne, and she was gripping the rest with tense fingers.

"No, of course not. Why would I think that?"

"Because I'm prioritizing my own interests over greater caution," answered the All Maudra with a sigh. "Some might think it reckless of me to insist they mobilize before all equipment is ready and accounted for."

Brea reached out to take her sister's hand, aching for her. "I don't think there was a single gelfling in this chamber that didn't sympathize with you, Seladon. Nobody believes you're selfish for wanting your husband back, safe in your keeping if not restored. You even said yourself that saving Vaurin has benefits for everyone. Since nobody contested your decision, I think it's safe to say they all agree with you."

Her words seemed to bring some comfort to an already overburdened spirit, and Seladon's next sigh was one of slight relief. "I'm glad you'll be going with them, though I admit that I wish there were some way you could stay here at my side."

"I could withdraw from the team," offered Brea. "I doubt my absence would make a difference in the outcome, and if me being here helps you—"

"No, Brea," interrupted Seladon softly, shaking her head. She met the younger gelfling's eyes, and her expression was flatly serious. "I _want_ you here with me, but I _need_ you present at the attack. You're 'Clever Brea', as Mother Aughra put it, and I trust you above all to make every effort to bring my Vaurin back to me."

Seladon made a distressed sound, and she rubbed her forehead. "I don't want you in harm's way, though. It feels so selfish for me to ask this of you at all, to burden you like this."

Brea added her other hand to the one she was holding Seladon's hand with, and she gave the older woman a reassuring squeeze. "Seladon, we are _all_ in danger, all of the time. You can't protect me from that. I can't just stay walled up here in the citadel while other gelfling risk their lives fighting for our survival, either."

Brea swallowed a lump in her throat. Since the death of their sister and the victory at Stone in the Wood, she had become closer to Seladon than she'd been since she was a childling.

"Do you know how honored I am to hear you declare so much faith in me?" Brea went on when she felt she could speak again. She freed one hand from Seladon's, and she placed it over her heart. "How much it means to me to hear my big sister tell me she depends on me, trusts me to fight for her and her family? Seladon, I can't begin to tell you how wonderful that feels."

"Have I been so unkind to you as that?" wondered Seladon, also getting choked up. "That the slightest bit of praise from me inspires such gratitude?"

Brea lowered her gaze, shrugging. She was seeing the parallel here, and it helped her to understand her sister's position growing up even more. If it felt this way to her for Seladon to express approval of her actions, how must it have been like for the older sister growing up?

Seladon spoke as if her thoughts were aligned with Brea's. "I treated you the way I felt Mother treated me, and I'm sorry for that."

Brea shook her head and sniffed. "It's all right. I think we're past that now, and I know you didn't grow up with the same affection from her that Tavra and I enjoyed. I think you were only doing what you were taught to do, and you were trying to emulate Mother. It's changed now. Our relationship has changed, and I haven't forgotten the good times we had as sisters. Do you remember the shadow figures you used to make for me with your hands? Sometimes Mother was too busy, and Tavra was off training...but _you_ were always there."

"I remember. It was so long ago."

"Well, those moments were precious to me, and I carry them in my heart always," declared Brea. they had been through a similar conversation before, but she felt that now, when they were so close to final victory or defeat, she needed to emphasize how she felt. "As you wanted Mother's approval, I've always craved yours. Now I have it, and I couldn't be more thankful."

Seladon's eyes were shining with moisture. "You _do_ have my approval and more, little one. Beyond all doubt."

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather me stay here with you? I'm not afraid to fight, but it's equally important to me that I'm here for you if you need me."

Seladon heaved another sigh. "How I wish you could be in two places at once, but it isn't possible. No matter what I choose, I'm being selfish."

"Stop saying that," objected Brea fiercely. "If not for your condition, I know you would be there fighting alongside with us. Everyone knows that. You aren't asking anyone to do what you aren't willing to do yourself."

Seladon looked at her again, and a single tear etched a shining path down her cheek. "I just don't want to lose you too."

And there it was. That vulnerability and fear that Seladon had been desperately trying to hide from the others.

"I'm sorry," sniffed the All Maudra, wiping at her eyes in a vain attempt to keep her makeup from running. "This keeps happening. I feel like I don't go a day without crying anymore, and I may soon be known as 'The Weeping All Maudra'."

"Nonsense," giggled Brea unsteadily. "You're pregnant and you carry such a heavy burden. I think anyone would need to cry, in your position. Besides, women in your condition are usually more emotional."

"Then why are you crying too?" inquired Seladon, sniffing again. "_You _aren't pregnant." She blinked, tilted her head and narrowed her streaming eyes at Brea. "You aren't, are you?"

"No!" Brea shook her head so vehemently that her long, silvery hair swept back and forth over her hips. "Of course not! I would never get myself in that condition when...when...oh, I didn't mean...shut up, Brea."

"When we are at war," finished Seladon with an amused, strained little smirk. "It's fine, Brea. I didn't take it to mean you were criticizing me."

"Well, you conceived before all of these new Garthim attacks and Crystal Bat swarms began," excused Brea in a rush, flushing over her blunder. "We were in a relatively calm state and I know your husband wanted to start a family. I didn't mean to—"

"You'll blab yourself into a frenzy," hushed Seladon. "I understand. It was just a fleeing concern because you shouldn't have the excuse of pregnancy to fall back on for crying right now."

"Well, you don't have to worry about that," assured Brea. "I'm just crying because _you're_ crying, and I hate to see you so upset. You are my sister and I want to see you happy. I want you to have your prince back, and I want our childlings to grow up together and...and...oh, Seladon!"

"Come here, pest," urged the older sister, also weeping again. Brea got off of her plushy little seat beside the throne and squeezed in next to Seladon. They hugged each other tightly, caught up in the moment of sisterly love, shared loss and hopes for the future.

Neither of them noticed the gelfling that had crept back into the chamber through the still-open doors, until Seladon happened to glance up and spot him swiftly turning around and trying to tip-toe back out. Brea felt her sister tense, and then she was alerted to their audience when Seladon spoke.

"Amri, what is it?" Seladon's voice had changed from emotional to authoritative, though it still betrayed a slight quiver. "Can we help you?"

The Grottan visibly tensed, and he turned his head to look over his shoulder at the two Vapra females he'd intruded on. His long white locks were flipped to one side, displaying half his shaved head and large ears. It should have been hard to read such ink-black eyes, but Brea personally found Grottan eyes to be even more expressive than others. The uncertainty she could see in them, coupled with the flush on Amri's cheeks, revealed his discomfort plenty.

"I...didn't mean to intrude," said the swordsman from Grot. "I didn't know."

"We were just having a sisterly moment," excused Seladon with impressive ease. "What is it you came back for, Amri?"

The boy was clearly flustered, and his hair fell forward over half his face as he bowed his head. He traced an invisible pattern on the stone floor with a bare green toe. He didn't wear boots; instead wrapping his feet in protective leather bindings, leaving his toes and heels exposed.

"I just...wanted to offer...oh, so awkward..."

"Speak up, please," Seladon admonished. "I can't understand you when you mumble to the floor."

Amri lifted his head and, despite his expressed uncertainty, looked at the sisters with a direct, onyx stare. "I wanted to offer a suggestion, All Maudra. Not for the attack on the pit; that all seems to be solidly worked out. I wanted to share another idea I've had with you personally. I would have waited, but we must go soon."

"Then tell me what it is you have to say," encouraged Seladon in a gentler tone. She too had apparently picked up on his feelings of alienation. Perhaps because she had gained a better understanding of how strange the surface world was to his kind.

Amri approached, and Brea noted the way he stepped as if feeling the way with his feet before touching down. Deet walked that way too, now that she recalled. Perhaps it was an instinctive habit that gelfling from their clan developed as they matured. She could only imagine the hazards one must be cautious of when traversing the depths of the world.

"All Maudra," began Amri, and then he paused with a look of faint confusion, his ears drooping as he awkwardly shuffled in place. "I'm sorry...should I bow? Kneel? I haven't had the chance to learn most daylighter customs."

"Never mind all that," Seladon said with a wave of a hand, and Brea thought she saw her sister's mouth twitch. "Just tell me what you have to say. Your travel party can't wait for you all morning, sir. Time is of the essence."

"Yes, of course. I was thinking about the idea I shared during the last meeting. You know, about taking the Skeksis by surprise through underground travel?"

Seladon nodded. "Continue."

"Well, I know that we can't hope to make it all the way into the castle through the old Arathim tunnels, but I've been doing some study of the lands surrounding the area, and I think my idea could still be used. There is a thick copse of trees due east of the castle. I know there are tunnels that open up in those woods. Most of the trees are now dead or dying, they say, but they could still provide cover for a small force of us."

Seladon glanced at Brea, and they both nodded. "Yes, they could."

"There's more," Amri went on. "Though the Arathim won't join the fight directly, I think I could convince them to lend some soldiers for the purpose of guiding us. They know the tunnels around Skeksis territory better than anyone. If they could be convinced to help us navigate them and avoid Garthim, we might avoid having too many of us spotted before the attack is underway."

"And who would convince them?" asked Seladon. "I think I've extended my diplomacy to the Arathim to its limits."

"I wanted to offer myself as a sort of ambassador for that end," explained the young man softly. "They share my clan's homeland and we've been existing in harmony with them since the alliance started. They may be willing to listen to one of us."

"I think it's worth a try," whispered Brea into her sister's ear. "You should give him a chance."

Seladon nodded. "Very well. Provided things go smoothly with the attack on the slave pit, I'll take this option under consideration. Thank you, Amri."

He gave an awkward bow. "Thank _you_, All Maudra. I'll be on my way to join the others, now."

As the Grottan boy made a hasty exit, Brea exchanged a rather amused look with her sister.

"He's cute."

Seladon poked her in the arm. "Excuse me, but you've promised yourself to another."

"I didn't mean it that way! I just meant that he has a sort of innocent charm. He reminds me a bit of Deet. I wonder if all Grottan are just that way."

Seladon snorted and cast an ironic glance at her. "You've met Maudra Argot, haven't you? I wouldn't describe her that way. She's feisty, I will give her that, but hardly shy and fluffy."

Brea chuckled. "Yes, but I still say that even in her great age, she still retains a wonder for our world that the rest of us seem to have lost. Oh, I hope she's all right."

Seladon wiped her eyes to clear the last remnants of her earlier tears, and she nodded with agreement. "As do I. Teasing aside, that woman has seen and done things the rest of us can only imagine, save Mother Aughra. Pity I can't have her council right now. I think I would appreciate it."

Brea was a little surprised to hear her sister admit such, but then, Seladon had warmed up a lot to older authority figures since the death of their mother. She'd grown so close to Maudra Fara in such a short time, and now that she was gone, Seladon appeared to be taking motherly advice from Maudra Laesid. She probably needed a mother figure in her life right now, especially since Seladon had spent the better part of her youth trying to get attention from her own mother.

"I...should go," Brea said reluctantly. "Everyone will be waiting and as you said; we can't delay. Will you be all right?"

"I'm the All Maudra," stated Seladon dryly. She looked at Brea, and she cracked a rather forced smile. "Even if I'm not 'all right', I know how to pretend otherwise. Go, little sister. Thra watch over you."

"And you," said Brea. She got off the throne and made her exit, fighting uncertainty as she left her sibling to join the others for departure.

* * *

"Brea! P-Princess Brea! Wait up!"

Brea checked a sigh, and she turned to face the gelfling that was running down the path from the gates of the citadel behind her.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have time f—wait...Juni?"

She recognized the raven-haired Vapra girl running towards her in gray and black leathers. A sword scabbard of poor fit hung unevenly around the young gelfling's waist, slapping against her hip as she approached. Brea had met Juni during her—thankfully brief—sentence to the Order of Lesser Service. The one with the shiny hair and the aspiration to someday be a princess.

"You remember me! Thank Thra!" Juni stopped before her, huffing and puffing, bending over with her hands on her knees. She looked up at Brea through rather tangled black bangs. It seemed her hair wasn't so shiny these days.

"Please, Princess," begged Juni, "take me with you!"

Brea blinked at her, looked her up and down. "I'm sorry, what?"

"To the fight," explained the other girl, "to free the draining victims! I want to help! My father...well, this is his sword, you see, and he...he and Mother..."

At once, Brea understood. She softened her stance and tone, sympathizing with the girl. "Juni, have you had any training at all? You realize we're going to be fighting the very creatures that took your family, and at least one Skeksis as well."

"I know that. And no, I don't have any combat training, but I can learn. Please, we're 'jingle sisters', aren't we? We've survived our own battle!"

Taken aback, Brea couldn't immediately respond.

"You know," Juni went on urgently, "The Deterg! I know it isn't exactly like battling Skeksis, but—"

"Juni," interrupted Brea carefully, "Have you ever even seen a Skeksis up close? Or Garthim?"

Juni trembled, and tears filled her eyes. She gave a sharp nod. "Yes. During the Tithing ceremonies, and I saw one of those...those garthim...when they attacked our home. I'm scared, but I'm not afraid!"

Thra, could Brea ever relate to that sentiment: scared, but not afraid. It didn't mean facing the enemy wasn't terrifying to the bone, but the choice between fighting or dying was one born of desperate instinct to survive. Scared of the enemy, but not afraid to fight them. This girl had probably watched her parents being snatched up by the Skeksis' monstrous living weapons, unable to do anything. Even the strongest fighters couldn't face the enemy without trembling, and Brea had to give Juni credit for being so determined.

"Come with me," she decided, hoping she wasn't making a terrible mistake. "We can find a place for you. Maybe not in combat until you've had the chance to train, but there are other ways you can help."

* * *

-To be continued

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know much about Amri beyond some excerpts I've read and what I've seen other people post about him on Tumblr, but I already like him. I'm working on reading the YA series but haven't even received book 1 yet, so I'm having to rely on descriptions from other sources right now. Any readers more familiar with the character should please feel free to point out anything ooc about him in my story.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Led by Rian, the Gelfling finally make their move on the Skeksis slave pen, determined to rescue their drained brethren and deny the enemy further use of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone had a joyous holiday and has a happy new year!

SkekTek paced the ramparts of the slave pen, staring down at the throng of drained kept below. The numbers of podlings in there had grown, but the gelfling numbers were as yet remaining stagnant. For whatever reason, the Emperor hadn't sanctioned another raid on Gelfling since the sacking of the Dousan settlement. Since no prisoners were taken from that one for draining, there was no new selection of test subjects for the Scientist to browse.

His eyes, both mechanical and biological, fixated on the one gelfling slave that was still as yet off limits to him. He scowled, resenting being assigned to watch over the herd while simultaneously denied the right to put that one under the knife. The prince's husk was the only one in the bunch with qualities that separated it from the rest, and SkekTek fumed daily over his inability to study the subject further.

"I could be doing more important things," he complained to the oblivious Garthim stationed around the pit. "Any one of the others could take this post. SkekTek shouldn't even be a part of the rotation!"

He supposed there was some small advantage to suffering such menial duty; he could determine which of the drained to take with him for experimentation once he was relieved of duty. Unfortunately, the remaining lot of Gelfling in this pit—aside from the prince—were in such frail and pitiful condition that SkekTek doubted they would last long enough to properly study them.

A carriage approached from the castle, and SkekTek fumbled with the scope of his artificial eye to adjust the lens, zooming his sight in on the trail of dust approaching from the road in the distance. He scowled as the carriage came to a stop at the gates and the reason for his current greatest frustration stepped out of it.

The Ritual Master had been the one to convince the Emperor not to allow harm to come to the slave SkekTek wanted so badly to cut into. He was sure of it. SkekZok harbored an unhealthy attachment. If he wanted a pet so badly, why not simply capture some animal and domesticate it, as SkekTek had done? It made no sense to the Scientist.

Even more absurd to him was the Ritual Master's recently more frequent visits to the pit, so that he might wash and groom his pet gelfling slave. SkekTek didn't see the point in it; the creature was just going to get dirty again, wandering aimlessly in the dirt with the others. Having shiny, tangle-free hair made no difference to the slave and there was nobody around for SkekZok to show his pet off to.

Bracing himself for a long, boring day, SkekTek went to the stairs to greet his fellow Skeksis. At least the Ritual Master would be someone to talk to.

* * *

Carefully hidden in the foothills a fair distance from the slave pit, a group of Gelfling numbering twenty and one waited together. Led by Rian, they were there for the soul purpose of gathering every drain victim held in that pen, doing as much damage to it as possible and making the Skeksis a few Garthim short of their armies.

Amongst the liberation force was Naia, Gurjin, Brea, Rek'yr, Kylan, Hup and Lore. In addition, their new Grottan ally Amri was there, and so was the Vapra maiden Juni. Rian wasn't alone when he resisted Brea's suggestion of taking the girl with them, but Juni had declared her resolve with such passion that in the end, they couldn't turn her away. Rian assigned her the task of minding the spare weapons and running them to warriors when needed. It was a non-combat role for her to take, but it still had its dangers.

Many of them had pushed to move in on the pit right away upon arriving at their chosen spot to prepare unseen, but Rian disallowed it. They needed to wait; not just for Deet to succeed in taking over one of the garthim and signaling to them, but to give time for the Ritual Master to make an appearance.

On his belly at the top of one of the hills was Gurjin, using a spyglass given to him by the Sifa. "There are six Garthim there," he announced.

Rian nodded. One more than Deet had counted the last time, but nothing they couldn't handle...provided SkekGra and UrGoh were right about these weapons they'd forged. The moment of truth would come soon enough.

"Everyone listen up," said Rian, seated on the ground with the others to stay out of sight, "when we mount up and ride for the pit, we'll have a long stretch of open plains to cover before we make it to the pit. There's no avoiding being seen, possibly even from the castle. Skeksis have no reason yet to keep a sharp eye on this holding pen of theirs, but you can bet whoever they have posted here today will have some method of signaling the castle.

"That means," he went on, "that we have limited time to get those captives loaded up into the transport carts and complete this raid. As soon as they realize it's under attack, the Skeksis will send more of their garthim. We have to strike hard and fast, do what we can to make the pit useless to them and get out. If fortune favors us, we'll be done and long gone by the time enemy reinforcements come. If not, we have to do our best to gather as many prisoners as we can and retreat, but Prince Vaurin is our highest rescue priority."

"When do we use the bombs?" asked Amri, his greenish features shadowed by the hood of his cloak, pulled low over his head.

"Not until after we have the prisoners loaded up and far enough away to be safe from the blasts," answered Rian. "And even then, only if our ground forces are safely out of the way. Remember, these aren't just smoke bombs we're using, this time. Once our charges are clear, you're all to spread out as planned and put distance between yourselves and the pit. Naia will lead the team to drop the bombs from the air once her brother gives her the signal."

Rian paused for a moment to let it all sink in, before finishing his briefing. "Does everyone understand their roles? Are there any further questions?"

Gelfling looked around at each other, and when nobody spoke up, Rian nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Gurjin, how is it looking? Any sign of the Ritual Master yet?"

"No, not yet. Just SkekTek pacing around. Looks like he's talking to himself again. Oh, wait! Rian, another Skeksis just joined him. Must have come from the castle while we were setting up. It's...yes, it's him! It's SkekZok."

Rian took a deep breath, inwardly relieved. He exchanged a glance with Brea, who had been even more tense than himself. She smiled and nodded at him, squeezing Rek'yr's hand.

"My sister was right," said Brea. "Now all we have to do is wait for Deet to make her move."

"Right. It shouldn't be long. She said she would wait until the Ritual Master arrived and try to confirm whether he's carrying Vaurin's essence before it starts. We need to be careful with him, if he is. We don't want that flask to get cracked or broken in the fight if he's got it on him."

Brea glanced at the hill where Gurjin was situated. "What if he doesn't? Or Deet can't be sure?"

"Then we'll still have to use caution and focus on subduing him. He probably keeps it hidden somewhere in his robes and padded for protection, so we'll likely need to search him thoroughly to be sure."

Ideally this attack would have been better conducted under the cover of night. Gelfling had excellent night vision—especially Grottan like Amri—and it would have given them a greater advantage. If they waited for nightfall, however, odds were the Ritual Master would leave and their chance to get Vaurin's essence would be gone. The element of surprise was still with them, even in broad daylight. Rian only wished they had some way to provide some cover during the attack besides dropping the smaller smoke bombs they'd brought with them.

"Gurjin," he called, "what is SkekZok doing?"

"Eh, he's talking to the Scientist," answered the Drenchen male. "Looks like they're arguing about something...big surprise. Huh...he's going down into the pit now. Rian, he's bringing Vaurin up with him!"

Rian tensed, wondering if SkekZok might have a change of heart and end the prince's life after all. "What is he doing with him? Does he have a knife in his hand?"

Gurjin shook his head, his long, twisted locks sweeping over his back. "No, he's got a...a comb. And a rag. Oh, so _that's_ what that bucket he set down was for."

Rian and Brea traded a confused look, and the latter of the two spoke up next. "Gurjin, tell us what's happening."

"Well, he's using the rag to wipe of Vaurin's face and hands," explained Gurjin. "Now he's combing his hair. SkekTek looks really mad about it."

Rian's forehead crinkled a little under his fringe as his brow went up. "Well, I guess that means he really meant it when he told Seladon he'd take care of her husband. I almost want to trade places with Gurjin just so I can see this for myself."

"A Skeksis pampering a gelfling," mused Kylan. "Who'd have ever thought we would see the day?"

"Let alone a drained gelfling," snorted Naia. "Seladon was right; the Ritual Master is a strange bird with some stranger obsessions."

"Something else is happening," Gurjin informed, tensing a little on his perch. "Rian, you said to watch for Garthim acting strange."

"I did," concurred the Stonewood, also tensing. "Do you see one of them doing anything peculiar?"

"Oh yes," confirmed the Drenchen. "It's peculiar, all right. Looks almost like it's doing...a sort of dance."

"Dance?" repeated Hup. He started to scramble up the hill. "Let Hup see!"

Rian reached out and caught the podling by the seat of his pants, stopping his climb. "Hup, no. We can't risk being spotted until we're ready to advance!"

"But Gurjin up there," Hup pointed out with a huff.

"Gurjin blends in well enough with the brush to be harder to spot," explained Rian, though now that he thought of it, Brea or one of the other Vapra in their group might have been the better choice for scouting. Their clan did after all have a talent for concealing themselves, though Rian wasn't sure if Brea was practiced with it.

"Just trust me," he urged. "One lone gelfling might not give them cause for concern, if they do happen to pick Gurjin out from the landscape. If they see any more of us before we move in, it could be a different matter."

Hup sighed, glanced over his shoulder at the pile of unassuming rocks that was actually Lore in repose, and nodded. "Okay."

Satisfied that Hup was over his reckless moment, Rian called out to Gurjin. "Describe this 'dance' for me."

"Well, it looks like the garthim's waving one pincher and pointing up with the other," announced Gurjin uncertainly. "It might just be a garthim thing. I've seen some beach crawlers do things like this before. A Sifa told me it was some sort of mating dance."

"Please don't tell me these creatures can breed," exclaimed Naia with sincere enough alarm. "That would be _all_ we need."

"No, it isn't a mating dance," Rian told them with certainty, starting to grin. "That's Deet's signal for me. She told me she would wave once she took over one of the garthim, and that she would point up if she could confirm that the Ritual Master has Prince Vaurin's essence vial with him."

"How does pointing up indicate such a thing?" puzzled Amri softly.

"Agreed," said Naia with a frown. "I'd have thought you two would work out a more descriptive signal for that. How do we know she isn't just having trouble coordinating the movements of that creature?"

Rian sighed. "There's only so many ways Deet can make a garthim body communicate to us without being horribly obvious about it to the enemy. What were you expecting, a thumbs-up? A picture drawn in the dirt? Garthim don't have fingers, you know."

"All right, we aren't getting anywhere debating this," Brea intervened. "Deet and Rian agreed on a signal that would be easy for her to execute and for him to understand."

Rian nodded. "And not too obvious, as well. Anything too complicated would be more likely to draw attention and alert the posted Skeksis that something isn't right."

"Um, Rian?" called Gurjin, "I know you and Deet put a lot of thought into this, but even what that garthim is doing seems pretty strange for their kind. I think the Scientist and the Ritual Master have noticed it. Matter of fact, I'm sure of it. They're staring at it and talking to each other right now."

Rian shut his eyes and begged Thra for a break. He could only hope that Deet would realize she'd drawn attention and act accordingly. He had no way to communicate directly to her to let her know that they'd gotten the signal, so she might keep doing it to be sure the message was received.

"All right, we can't wait any longer," Rian decided. "Ground force mount up. Naia, circle around to where we planned and lead your team from the south as agreed, while we head straight in from the east."

The future Drenchen leader nodded in accord and motioned to the four other females—including Brea—that were part of her air strike team. They slunk away into the vegetation to make their way to where the bombs had been placed for the attack.

Gurjin slithered backwards down the hill to creep off with Rian, Kylan, Rek'yr, Amri and four other gelfling to fetch their land striders. Hup roused Lore, who would carry the podling into battle and be his fighting partner as well.

The remaining six gelfling readied backup weapons, armaligs and transport carts. Their jobs would be to come in behind the main strike force once Rian signaled to them and get as many drained onto the carts as they could.

The position of the suns in the sky might actually work in their favor, because they would be riding with the sunlight behind them and incidentally, shining in the faces of their enemies. Rian hoped that combined with the smoke bombs would cause enough confusion for them to get a sufficient jump on the enemy.

* * *

SkekTek noticed the garthim's behavior first, and SkekZok picked up on it after his companion's criticisms about the care he was taking with the prince's husk suddenly came to a halt. The Ritual Master paused in brushing his pet's hair to look up from the task at the Scientist. He saw the odd look on SkekTek's face, and he traced his gaze across to the other side of the pit. Seeing the lone garthim over there skittering a few paces to the left, then to the right and back again, SkekZok frowned and straightened up.

"What is it doing?" he asked, gesturing at the creature with the comb he'd just been using on the slave.

SkekTek shook his head, his lip curling in a suspicious sneer.

SkekZok left the gelfling slave where he was and stepped closer to his companion, now eyeing the garthim's strange behavior. One foreclaw was poised straight up in the air, and the other was waving back and forth. SkekZok had never seen any of them behave that way before, but he personally didn't spend much time in the company of Garthim. Crystal Bats were more his specialty.

"Do they often do that?" pressed SkekZok.

"No," came the answer. "This is a new behavior I've not seen yet."

SkekZok cast a sideways glance at the Scientist. "I heard one of them were acting strangely the other day when the Slave Master visited. Perhaps this is the same one?"

SkekTek shook his head. "No. SkekUng sent that one back to the castle for me to examine. I found nothing wrong with it, but have since been keeping it in a pen for extended observation. This one and another were sent as replacements."

"Hmm, interesting. Have you changed anything in the formula since you began manufacturing them?"

Again, SkekTek shook his head. "Nothing has been changed since perfecting them so they could travel the lands further from the crystal. That one isn't a newborn, either. It's never shown symptoms of defectiveness before."

"Perhaps its ill," suggested the Ritual Master. "Garthim may be artificially created, but they're still composed of living tissue."

"Yes," agreed the Scientist. "Both Grunaks and Arathim can become sick. You may be right."

As they pondered it, the garthim in question settled down and then slumped back in place, watchful and silent as it had been before. The pair of Skeksis looked at each other curiously.

"Well, that was entertaining," announced SkekZok. He took up his bone comb and turned around to return his attentions to his slave. He frowned and looked this way and that when he realized the gelfling was gone.

"Where is he?" demanded SkekZok irritably. "Blast, I should have kept hold on him. He never sits still and—"

He then spotted his quarry stumbling towards the fencing surrounding the in-ground pen, and the Ritual Master hastened after him. The gelfling prince stopped at the fence, placed his hands on it and seemed to stare off to the south. SkekZok came up beside him and looked off in that direction, wondering what drew the slave's attention there.

"Come along," he ordered. He reached for one of the gelfling's hands to pry it from the fence and lead him away like a childling. The slave wouldn't let go. Instead, he began to pull at the braided fiber weaves.

"I said come along," ordered SkekZok irritably, plucking the gelfling's fingers off the fence until he finally got them loose. He grabbed Prince's hand and tried again to lure him away, but the gelfling still had a fast hold with his other hand, and he hung on with tenacity.

"Prince, what's gotten into you?" SkekZok pulled, and it became a sort of tug 'o war. Even when his pulling lifted the gelfling off his feet, it didn't let go. The Ritual Master clucked his tongue, stopped pulling for fear of dislocating something and damaging his prize, and he began to try and work the gelfling's other fingers free of the fence.

The moment he let go of Prince's hand, the slave latched back onto the fence with it.

"SkekTek, help me with this," called the Ritual Master, at wit's end. "He's fixated with the fence for some reason."

"What is the meaning of all this foolishness?" groused SkekTek. "Break the slave's fingers if you must. I am not here to babysit your...your...eh?"

The "eh" was what caught SkekZok's attention. Though it was common for the Scientist to spout off comments of intrigue, something in his tone seemed a bit off. With a sigh, the Ritual Master paused in his struggle with his pet to glare at his companion across the way.

"What is it?"

The moment he finished the sentence, SkekZok traced the other skeksis' gaze and understood. His companion wasn't just commenting on some random element he'd come across, nor was he deep in contemplation. He was peering off to the east, and SkekZok thought at first that there was some manner of small dust storm coming their way from that direction.

It was no dust storm. SkekZok could now make out figures within the haze, and he recognized the tall, gating forms of land striders with tiny figures on their backs. There were five of them in all, and spread out behind them was another group of some sort of transport vehicles driven by armaligs. These also were manned by Gelfling.

"We are under attack?" remarked the Ritual Master, blinking.

"I doubt they mean to offer themselves up as volunteers," growled SkekTek. "Garthim! To arms! Form a defensive perimeter!"

The hulking creatures began to clamor to do as they were told. The one that had been acting strangely earlier was a bit slower to move than the others, and it seemed almost confused. SkekZok was more puzzled than alarmed at first, hardly believing the gelfling would have the audacity to do this. It began to make sense to him as he watched the formation close the distance, heard hoots and yells coming from the throats of the gelfling in the distance.

"All Maudra," he murmured, nodding. "This was your doing; your plan. You never intended to honor our agreement, did you? Bold move, child. I must give a nod to your resolve and cunning, if nothing else."

Oddly, his gelfling slave was still focused on the south. SkekZok rubbed his chin in thought, and he too looked off in that direction. Prince had demonstrated an intriguing awareness since undergoing the harvesting process, but he'd shown particular cognitive behavior when near his mate. He'd been drawn to her, fixated on her, even.

"Could _she_ be the reason you're behaving this way?" he wondered. No answer was forthcoming from the slave, of course, but it was the only explanation that SkekZok could think of to explain the gelfling's sudden, intense interest in the south.

Surely the All Maudra wouldn't directly participate in this foolish charge. Not in her condition, advanced as it was now. She was in that ungainly stage that breeding females reached once they neared their time. Perhaps she wasn't there to participate, but to wait at some encampment in the hopes that her warriors might win the day and bring her husband back to her.

"There's something to the south," informed the Ritual Master, sure that his slave's actions could only mean one thing.

"I see nothing to the south," said SkekTek. "What are you talking about? More Gelfling?"

"None visible," answered SkekZok, "but that doesn't mean they aren't there. Look at the way my slave is behaving."

The Scientist took his attention off the small troop of Gelfling closing the distance, and he shot a disdainful glance at Prince. He shrugged and waved it off. "That one has been defective from the beginning. Perhaps if I were allowed to properly study him as asked, I could find an explanation for—"

"You single-minded fool," interrupted SkekZok impatiently. "Listen to what I say, for once. I have seen this gelfling slave act like this before, in the presence of his mate. It's the _only_ time I ever witnessed him this focused, so it would stand to reason that the All Maudra herself is near, somewhere to the south. Prince can sense it."

"Rubbish," scoffed the Scientist, but he too was watching the slave with more interest now. "Why would the All Maudra risk herself in an attack that she must surely know is doomed to failure?"

"Couldn't say," admitted the Ritual Master. "It would be unlike her. Then again, Seladon has surprised me of late. Her actions have been contrary to what we've come to expect of her. To send such a small force against us is either madness or she has reason to think they'll win."

"Gelfling can do nothing against Garthim," stated SkekTek dismissively. "Those weaklings will succeed only in providing us more subjects to drain today."

SkekZok's first impulse was to agree, but something about all of this felt wrong to him. Seladon was too cunning to order a direct attack on Skeksis territory without believing she had some advantage. Desperate though she might be, she had never been a reckless leader. She'd tried to avoid war with negotiation and compromise.

"I recognize the Gelfling in the lead," called SkekTek after adjusting his artificial eye again for a closer look. "It's that Stonewood Rian. The one that started all of this. Hah! The Captain's whelp is eager to deliver himself into our hands!"

SkekZok, unlike his companion, was not feeling so assured. Rian was with them, and the last time Gelfling issued a blatant challenge and actually raised weapons against Skeksis, he'd been the main instigator. If not for Rian, Aughra and the Grottan girl that turned the Darkening back on them, Skeksis would have won the day at Stone in the Wood.

"This isn't as simple as it appears," warned SkekZok, again looking to the south. He resumed his attempts to pry his slave off the fence, feeling an uncommon sense of foreboding. Before the battle of Stone in the Wood, he too would have found this attack laughable. He had gained some respect for their former servants since then, and he could no longer see them as harmless little pets as he once did.

It was in that moment that he discovered the unfortunate truth behind his suspicions. There _was_ more to this seemingly wild and desperate charge than first met the eye. Rising from the twisted, dying trees to the south, a small swarm began its approach. It was moving only a little slower than the mounted attackers from the east. SkekZok stopped pulling at his slave to fetch his spyglass, and he looked through it for confirmation.

"The females," he sputtered, seeing the glint of incandescent wings flashing in the light of the brothers. More loudly, he called out to his fellow skeksis. "They mean to attack from the sky as well as from the ground!"

"Bah, what can the bugs possibly do?" demanded SkekTek. "Slap us with their fragile little wings? We can simply tear them off."

SkekZok, having already witnessed the chaos that winged gelfling could cause, was not as smug as the oblivious Scientist. Feeling it was better not to leave things to chance, he let go of Prince and made an executive decision.

"Crystal bats, head your master's call! Send warning to the castle and swarm these gelfling attackers!"

From the roost they'd built in the rickety old tower overlooking the slave pit, scores of bats came flooding out. They flowed like a black river through the sky, some forking off to the east while the rest flew north. While they hadn't the capabilities to do much damage beyond scratching the flesh, they would prove a useful obstruction for slowing the Gelfling advance down. Garthim could take care of the ground forces, but the airborne females might prove to be a bigger issue.

* * *

Seladon slowly paced the floors of her throne room, hardly listening to the Librarian's rambling. The old man was trying to distract her, of course. He surely knew that she couldn't care less about crop reports or goods exchange rates at a time like this, but he was nonetheless prattling on about it.

"My lady, you're going to wear grooves in the floor," advised the Librarian.

Seladon paused long enough to fire an askew glance of irritation toward him. She rubbed her belly, and then she continued her trek across the floor. "I can feel him," she announced.

She practically heard the heavy pause, followed by an uncertain mumble from her companion. "All Maudra, your childling is a 'she', and of course you can feel her. I imagine you're far enough along now to begin feeling some movement."

"Not the baby, you...ugh. I mean my husband. I can feel him. He's...reaching. Trying to come to me, even from so far away."

Seladon turned to see the Librarian watching her with kind, dismayed eyes. "I know how much you long for him. I too have lived with the pain of being parted from someone I loved, but you mustn't entertain unrealistic thoughts. Our people look to you for leadership, and—"

"I'm all too aware of how many are counting on me," interrupted Seladon. "Regardless, I know what I feel. He is a part of me, as I'm a part of him. Have you ever been pair-bonded?"

"No, I have not," admitted the older gelfling.

"I didn't think so. If you had, you would understand how strong the bond is. Weakened and stretched though it is, my link to my husband isn't broken. He lives, and some part of him still fights against the hold the Skeksis have on him. I nearly gave up on Vaurin once, but never again. I tell you he isn't lost. Not unless the mission Rian is leading fails."

The Librarian sighed softly. He approached her, and he laid a gnarled hand on the All Maudra's shoulder. "Then I will pray to Thra, both for our champions to return alive, and for you and your prince to be reunited."

Seladon gave a slow nod, staring to the south through the window she faced. "That's all I can ask of you."

* * *

"Bats," shouted Gurjin over the thunder of hooves. "They had Crystal Bats hidden away! Rian, they're going to swarm us!"

"I see them," shouted the Stonewood grimly. "A few winged pests won't stop us! Everyone duck low on your mounts and scatter! We'll spread out so the swarm will have to break up."

"Excuse me," hollered Amri from slightly behind Rian and to the right, "my eyes aren't very good in this sort of light, but it looks as though some of those bats are going off another way."

"He's right," confirmed Rek'yr, much better adapted to the light of full day than the Grottan, "they're going east to our women."

Rian had noticed it as well once Amri said something, and he cursed. He'd entertained the hope that the Skeksis would be surprised enough by the sight of his group riding at them that they would fail to notice Naia's team until they closed in. Apparently the enemy hadn't under-estimated them as much as Rian expected. It would have been a valuable advantage, but there was no help for it.

Hup called out. "We go join girls now?"

"No," answered Rian. "Don't break formation. Loosen it up but hold the trajectory. The girls should make it to the target just as we arrive. We keep to the plan!"

"I don't like this," protested Kylan. "Those creatures can do more than swarm us; they'll give warning to the other Skeksis."

"I don't see as there's any hope for that," shouted Gurjin. "Skeksis are going to find out about this regardless of what happens. Let's just hope we can win the day."

"Or at least rescue the prince and his essence flask," agreed Rian. It all hinged upon whether the weapons they carried with them would do as SkekGra and UrGoh said they would. If not, they were sure to suffer a crushing defeat and end up as the next additions to this slave pit.

"All right; spread out," ordered Rian, reaching back for the shaft of the spear secured to his defensive gear. "Remember the plan; strike as one with your mounts! Try not to get unsaddled until we've eliminated the garthim, and remember not to strike at the one under Deet's control!"

On a wing and a prayer, the Gelfling ground forces loosened up their formation, staying in the same spearhead positioning with Rian leading the charge, but much broader than before. The determined young leader of the Stonewood set his jaw and blocked out the noise around him, affixing his concentration on the line of Garthim looming closer by the gallop.

He thought he saw the one Deet was controlling give an odd little nod, far off to the left of the other Garthim. It was creeping up behind one of its closest fellows, and it raised two monstrous pincers. It held that position, but the creatures target was certainly not the Gelfling riding in hard.

"Thra be with us all," muttered Rian, fingers tightening on the shaft of his spear.

* * *

Naia and the others saw the swarm coming in, and they too spread out. Rather than stick with their original formation as their ground allies had, the flight squad adjusted their tactics a different way. Brea suggested evasive maneuvers until they reached their target, as the bats weren't possessed of any reasoning capabilities on their own. Mechanically minded like Garthim and created to obey their master's bidding, they lacked critical thought.

"Right," shouted Naia, "these bats are clumsy and stupid, so all you need to do is keep clear of them long enough to drop your smoke bombs. We'll circle around the perimeter afterwards and wait for Rian to give the signal for the rest."

"Understood," agreed a Dousan female that had volunteered for the strike.

"See you there," hollered Brea. "Be careful, everyone!"

The women tactfully split up, flittering through the dry, still air with greater maneuverability than their small opponents were capable of. One of them, a young Vapra with dark auburn hair, wasn't as practiced as her sisters in flight. She must have only recently sprouted her wings, because her efforts were slow and awkward compared to the others. Seeing her falter under a cloud of bats, Naia uttered a curse and dove to her aid.

"Right yourself," encouraged the Drenchen, grabbing the panicking Vapra girl's arm to steady her. "They can't bite you. Just swat them aside like bugs!"

Naia demonstrated by batting at one of the bats with her right wing, using her left to keep her flight steady. The creature tumbled from the sky with a shriek, stunned by the slap. With help, the Vapra girl steadied her flight, and she gave Naia a thankful look. Wide-eyed and pale as clay in the moment, Naia thought the girl belonged anywhere except on the battlefield. Thin and delicate like most Vapra, she didn't look like she could hurt a fly.

She was determined though, and brave enough to lend her wings to this effort. Naia had to at least give her credit for that. These days, even the most spoiled or mild mannered gelfling were finding their courage. Those who used to live wealthy lives of opulence now toiled alongside the commoners they once derided. Clans that once mistrusted or even openly disdained one another fought side by side, ate at the same table or fire and looked out for each other.

Naia looked off to the distance, where her brother and the other ground forces were steadily closing in on the pits, and she found herself smirking. She could pick out one male in particular amongst that din; the clumsiest rider of the bunch, and the only one wearing a black, hooded cloak over his clothes.

Amri obviously wasn't used to riding land striders yet, but he hadn't resisted the plan to charge in mounted as they were. Like Deet, he was of the earth, raised far below ground out of sight of the three brothers. Yet there he was with them, fighting on the surface for the future of all Gelfling, and the only thing Amri had refused to do before heading into combat was put on boots. He'd explained that footwear beyond protective wrappings would only hinder him, as he was used to going barefoot. Naia could empathize with that. Her first time out of Sog had introduced her to how unkind the terrain in other parts of Thra could be to bare gelfling feet, and it had taken her some time to adjust to covering them.

As Rian's team made it to the fence surrounding the pit and they directed their mounts to smash through it, Naia found herself hoping rather vehemently that the strange, exotic Amri would make it safely through all this.

* * *

_"Vaurin, can you still hear me?"_

Responding to the mental voice inside his head was difficult. When she'd first begun talking to him, he couldn't understand her words. Somehow her voice gradually lifted some of the fog entrapping his consciousness. For the first time since waking up strapped to a chair with no idea of who he was, where he was or how he'd come to be there, Vaurin regained a clear sense of self—or at least enough to remember that _he_ was Vaurin, and he had a wife waiting for him somewhere.

_"Yes, I hear you."_ It was like trying to consciously speak in his sleep. The effort fatigued him, but he knew it was important that he listen to that voice.

_"Great! I need you to stay just where you are, okay? It's important that I can see you clearly. I'm coming towards you now. When you feel yourself being picked up by a garthim, don't struggle; it's just me."_

_"You're...a garthim?"_ Even in his dreamlike state, her instructions confused him.

_"It's complicated," _answered the gentle, female voice in his mind. _"I'm a gelfling like you, but I'm borrowing one of these garthim for now to get you out of here. Please trust me."_

He felt himself give a slow nod. Even doing that much was an effort. All he had to do was stay where he was at the fence. He didn't know how much longer he could resist if his master tried to pull him away again, though.

_"I'll...try."_

* * *

Two things happened at once, followed immediately by a third. The Gelfling rider in the lead had his land strider rear back and strike at the fence with its front hooves, while his companions behind him spread out and did the same. SkekTek yelled for the garthim to close ranks and destroy the intruders, and they all moved to obey except for one. While the rest of the garthim scuttled forth to engage the gelfling fighters, the one that hung back came up behind one of its fellows and bashed it hard with one pincer, then followed up with the next.

"What?!" The bewildered shout barely escaped SkekZok's mouth before he heard the flutter of wings overhead, and he looked up to see a female Drenchen in flight, dropping a familiar round object straight down at him.

He'd been expecting the smoke bombs, but the distraction of seeing one of the garthim turn on its own was enough to make the Ritual Master forget about that little nuisance. Now he fully regretted his laps as the first bomb hit the ground mere feet away from him and sent a black, billowing cloud of smoke up into the air. Coughing, he backed away and tried to call out a warning to his companion.

That was when calamity number three struck. After basically sucker-punching one of its fellows and knocking it over as a result, the seemingly berserk garthim went charging straight for SkekZok's pet gelfling. His mouth fell open, and his eyes widened with alarm at the thought of his favorite acquisition being rent in two by careless garthim claws.

"No, get back!" SkekZok began to lope towards Prince, but though faster than their Mystic counterparts, Skeksis weren't particularly graceful or quick on their feet. His gating strides had no hope of making it to the slave before the garthim, yet the Ritual Master still gave it his all.

"It's going after Prince!"

SkekTek turned from the spectacle of the enemy breaking through the fence, shouting in challenge at the line of Garthim in their way.

"Eh?"

When he saw what had inspired the outburst from his companion, the Scientist waved it off with disgust. "Garthim are trained to attack Gelfling, you fool. You should have moved your toy aside when you had the chance. It's just following commands."

"Did you command it to attack another garthim?" cried SkekZok, still trying to intercept the creature and save his pet.

Evidently, SkekTek had been too preoccupied with the Gelfling charge and hadn't seen the attack SkekZok was talking about. "What are you—"

The garthim reached Prince at that moment and, rather than maim or kill him as the Ritual Master feared, it gently scooped the gelfling's unresisting form up in a pincher. Prince hung limp in its grasp like a baby rodent being carried in its mother's mouth, and the garthim scuttled straight through the breach in the fence, past the attacking Gelfling and their mounts, and headed out onto the open plain.

"How...interesting," stated the Scientist, finally showing a bit of dismay over the creature's behavior. "Does it mean to take the slave back to the castle?"

"Not in the direction it's heading," answered SkekZok with certainty. Indeed, the garthim was hurrying straight for another group of gelfling that were riding in armalig-driven carts. One appeared to be a supply cart of some sort, but the two larger ones were equipped with dome-shaped covers of hide and plant fibers.

Rian shouted something that explained most of it, even as it boggled SkekZok's mind.

"We have him! Load the prince up and retreat with him until you see the final signal!"

"They...planned this," sputtered the Ritual Master in disbelief. "Not just the attack itself, but the extraction of the All Maudra's husband as well! How...how could they...?"

It defied logic to him that Gelfling could have somehow found a way to command Garthim, yet the proof was right there before him. Given the outrage present on SkekTek's face, he had reached the same conclusion and was equally shocked. As bewildering as this turn of events was to SkekZok, it must be doubly so for the proud scientist. How it must sting for him to see one of his creations bend to the will of a creature it was engineered to hunt down.

"This cannot be!" Objected SkekTek. "I _created_ them! Gelfling are prey, not masters!"

"I don't think that particular garthim got the message," snapped SkekZok. "Be wary; there may be more traitors in their ranks!"

The suggestion was notable enough to stop the Scientist from delivering whatever rebuttal he might have had in response to that, and he looked around at the other garthim warily, clutching at his staff defensively. The rest of the bunch showed no signs of turning on them, however. They met the attackers head on, swinging out with their huge pincers to try and cripple the land striders. The one that had been knocked over by the afflicted garthim had righted itself to join the rest, and the air was filled with the bleats of land striders, shouts of gelfling and shrieking of bats.

More smoke bombs dropped from above; it seemed the female's part in this attack was to provide some cover for their male counterparts. They were keeping their distance, circling around the pit and evading or swatting aside Crystal Bats that got in their way.

"We only need to hold out until assistance arrives," reasoned SkekTek. "Surely the emperor will send more Garthim as soon as he sees the situation. Even if not, these Gelfling have no chance against—"

While the Scientist was talking about how futile the Gelfling efforts were, Rian of the Stonewood stabbed down at the garthim he was engaged with. He used a spear—which did provide good reach but shouldn't have been able to penetrate the Darkening-infused carapace of the garthim. SkekZok saw the flash of reflected sunlight on the tip of the spear, noticed that it wasn't made of stone or metal, and then realized it was no ordinary weapon. The spear head was made of some sort of mineral or crystal, and SkekZok thought he detected a humming sound as it stabbed toward its target.

"Oh," muttered the Ritual Master, and then he employed the use of a word he'd often heard from the mouths of former castle guards. "Bugger."

There was a ringing noise when the spear struck, and it grew so loud that it hurt the ears. Melodic and pure, it was like a song...but much different from the bold, somewhat chaotic music the Skeksis enjoyed. It made him flinch, and SkekTek was doing the same. The spear head shattered into multiple fragments, scattering into tiny, glittering shards. Several of those shards remained imbedded in the garthim, and the creature staggered.

Impossible...and yet it was happening. Rian's Garthim opponent faltered and went down, rolling onto its side with multiple legs scrabbling at thin air. The legs curled as the creature's eyes began to dim, and then the garthim began to disintegrate, pieces of carapace coming loose and falling off.

They could kill Garthim. The Gelfling weren't as helpless as Skeksis had thought, and now SkekZok knew with certainty that his own life was in danger. He shot a glance at SkekTek, saw him standing there with motionless shock, and decided this was his opportunity. While the Gelfling went after the Scientist, he might be able to slip away and get far enough to meet up with reinforcements.

That plan was all well and good until a familiar and entirely unwelcome sight broke through the ranks and came straight for SkekZok. The rock creature—the one that had appeared to break the paladin volunteers and Princess Brea out of the transport cage that day—was coming for him. It was as terrifying as ever, but even more disturbing than the sight of a pile of animated rocks closing in on him was the unexpected passenger riding on its back.

A podling. Wielding an oversized spoon over his head like a sword. The podling was yelling a challenge of some sort.

"Podling Justista!"

SkekZok had no idea what that meant, but he could see by the angry scrunch of this little potato creature's face that, dinnerware or not, he wasn't intending to use his spoon to eat soup.

"This is insanity!" SkekZok cried, and he turned to run. Imagine him, the Ritual Master, the one that kept tradition alive and feared nothing on Thra save his Emperor's displeasure, running away from a podling with a spoon.

But run he did, and even faster than he had before when he thought his slave was about to be snapped in two pieces. Another smoke bomb got dropped, and the earth scattered around SkekZok as it nearly landed directly on him. He heard a female voice up above shouting aggressively, calling him a coward and comparing him to the lowliest of vermin. He couldn't tell which female it was, but he suspected it was the biggest one that led the air attack; the Drenchen.

He tripped on his robes when he got close to the nearest gate, barely keeping his balance. Something hit him from behind, and the wind was knocked from his lungs. SkekZok fell on his face in the dirt, coughing, and he rolled in a panic thinking he was about to be stomped on.

He ran into something hard, stopping his roll. He looked up, shielding his eyes from the sun with one clawed hand, and he found himself staring at the rock creature. It was hunched over him with one "arm" partly buried in the earth. That was what SkekZok had run into, and possibly what had knocked him down. The single talon crowning the creature's other arm was poised menacingly over the Ritual Master's chest like a stinger about to strike.

"No, please! I've done nothing except follow the orders of my Emperor! I never meant harm to the Gelfling!"

There was a light crunch and a grunt from the podling as he hopped down from his perch on the rock creature's shoulders. He approached SkekZok, holding his spoon threateningly. He said something in his own language that the Ritual Master understood to be a warning, and then he spoke again in Gelfling tongue.

"Skeksis no move," said the podling, and he drew a finger across his throat. "Or _kchhht_!"

"What is it you want?" SkekZok tried to negotiate, barely hearing the battle cries and clash of weapons in the background. "Surely you would have killed me already, if you wanted me dead. We can negotiate!"

"Peh, no negotiate," said the podling in disgust. He squatted down and started to dig through the Ritual Master's robes, pawing and feeling for something.

"Cease this molestation!" Demanded SkekZok, his confusion fading into outrage. "Get your filthy little hands off me, you dirt-digging little—"

"Hah! Hup found it!" The podling had deftly pilfered one of SkekZok's inner robe pockets, and he withdrew a flask filled with glistening, glowing liquid. "Rian! Have essence!"

"Get it safely out of here, Hup!" came the strained, return shout from Rian.

"Oh, no you don't!" SkekZok impulsively—and perhaps foolishly—tried to reach for his prize to snatch it back from the thieving podling. He barely stretched his arm out before the podling glared at him, and the next thing he saw was the rounded underside of that oversized metal spoon. There was a sickening clunk, and SkekZok knew no more.

* * *

Kylan's relief upon hearing confirmation that Hup had subdued the Ritual Master and retrieved the prince's essence was short-lived. The other Skeksis had apparently decided not to stay and fight. The Song Teller could see the Scientist running away with his robes billowing, heading for a different exit gate than the one his companion had tried to escape through. There were still three more Garthim to deal with, and he'd already broken his own spear in an unsuccessful attempt to slay one of them.

"Rian, the other Skeksis is getting away!"

Rian was in a desperate struggle with Gurjin to box one of the remaining Garthim in. Deet's garthim was grappling with another one that had gone after the cart they'd loaded Prince Vaurin onto, and Amri was struggling to his feet after being thrown from his mount.

Rian chanced a look in the direction the Scientist was heading, and he shook his head. "Let him go. We aren't here to kill Skeksis today. We finish what we came here to do, and then we retreat."

It made perfect sense to Kylan and frankly, he wasn't all that eager to spill blood even if it was well deserved. He'd joined this endeavor to save fellow Gelfling and cripple the Skeksis' power base for a while. He was glad to see that his friend hadn't become a cold and merciless death-dealer, despite all the Skeksis had done to their kind.

"Kylan, look out!"

He heard the shout from Rek'yr as the Dousan's opponent broke away from him, apparently seeing a better opportunity in Kylan. Just what had made it see him as easier prey was unknown to the Spriton. Perhaps it was because he now lacked a polearm to stab with, while Rek'yr had a fresh one of his own. Ether way, the creature was now fixated on him and charging at him and his land strider.

Kylan desperately tried to steer his mount out of the way, but the garthim barreled into the land strider's legs. The latter screamed in pain, and Kylan heard something snap. He was falling then, his mount collapsing beneath him. The blow had broken at least one of his legs.

Kylan barely managed to spring off his falling land strider's back and roll away without being crushed. He saw Rek'yr struggling to control his own mount, obviously intending to help him. The Dousan, like their Grottan ally, wasn't very skilled at riding land striders yet. He wouldn't make it on time.

The light of the suns were eclipsed behind the huge bulk of the garthim as it closed in on Kylan, and he backpedaled away as quickly as he could. A pincer came down, narrowly avoiding his leg and with enough force to crack the dry earth beneath him. He was sure that this would be his final moments, that Thra was going to be his final destination this day.

"Leave him alone!"

The voice that cried out was still unfamiliar to Kylan, still new to him. The girl that had so stubbornly pushed her way into their raid group landed between him and the attacking garthim, her crystalline wings still spread from her brief flight and one of the singing spears clutched awkwardly in her hands. She lacked the training or skills to wield it properly, but the fact that she chose to put herself in harm's way nonetheless to help him was quite impressive.

"S-stay back!" Juni made a clumsy jab at the monstrosity, and even from his vantage point on the ground, Kylan could see how she trembled. She yelped when the creature swung a pincer at her, knocking the spear from her grip and breaking it in two. It landed in halves several feet away, and she cowered before the garthim even as she refused to move aside.

"D-don't...ruin my...hair," she said...or at least, that's what it sounded like she said to Kylan.

He couldn't let this maiden take a death blow for him. The Spriton scrambled back to his feet and searched himself for a weapon—_any_ weapon.

"Kylan!"

That cry, he recognized. He'd heard that voice in his dreams for a while now, even though he'd come to accept that the owner of it would never be his. He looked up to see Brea diving at the garthim, her golden eyes wide and fearful. She had no weapons on her save the last remaining bomb that she had yet to drop; the one that was far more destructive than the simple smoke bombs they had used so far.

"Brea, no!"

She clipped the shoulder of the garthim in passing, apparently aiming more to distract than to do injury. Despite the apparent recklessness of her actions, she held the bomb carefully out of the way as she slapped at the creature.

Her bold move cost her. Kylan and Rek'yr both yelled in protest when the garthim smashed a claw into Brea, hitting her in the side and sending her plummeting to the ground. She skidded across the dirt, her bomb rolling away from her. She looked as though she tried to move, and then she fell still. Her face was hidden from view by her hair. It was impossible to tell if she was still alive.

"Brea!"

Kylan started for her, only to be brought up short when the garthim returned its attention to him. Others were rushing to help, but they were likely too far away to reach him in time. Acting on instinct, Kylan stayed between the threat and the Juni. His fingers touched something familiar and comforting within his pouch, and he retrieved it without thought.

It was his firca. It seemed oddly fitting that his final act would be to play the instrument, and so he brought it to his lips and did so. The notes trembled with his terrified breath. It definitely wasn't a sound he would normally produce with it; more like that of a novice. Even so, the Garthim reacted strangely to it.

Kylan felt Juni's arms hug him from behind, likely out of impulse and certainty of death. Her grip made it hard for him to draw a good breath to keep playing, but he managed somehow. The garthim stopped moving, its head clicking from side to side. It shuddered as if pained, and it began to back up.

"What are you doing to it?" Juni gasped.

Kylan shook his head, just as perplexed. "I...don't know."

"Well don't stop!"

In his brief pause to answer her question, he'd stopped playing and the creature started to recover from whatever ailment his music had caused to it. Kylan hastily resumed, trilling out notes without any particular song or order in mind. It came from somewhere deep inside of him. A primal well of _Vliyaya_ inside of him that he'd only barely touched before.

"The music," called Amri, skidding to a halt with a spear readied. He observed the garthim from beneath the hood of his cloak, his black eyes full of wonderment. "It can't bear the sound of it."

"Then don't waste another moment," shouted Naia. She came to a landing near the Grottan, just as Rek'yr dismounted from his land strider and sprinted to Brea's side. "Use the spear, Grottan. Kill the thing while it's vulnerable."

Amri nodded, looked at the spear in his hands that he hadn't yet used, and he tightened his jaw. He took aim with the weapon and ran at the garthim, his nearly bare feet hardly making a sound. He drove the spear up and into the chest area of the creature's body and, as the other spears had done, it pierced through the armor, fracturing and shattering on its way.

The creature stumbled, the spear was yanked out of Amri's hands and another garthim fell to ruin. Gasping and nearly giddy with relief, Kylan looked around to assess the situation. The crystal bats had dispersed, he realized. They were flying away in various directions, and some of them fell from the sky in their egress and lay still where they landed.

"Your song," coughed Brea, who had regained consciousness and was being gently lifted by Rek'yr. "Kylan, it's the song of Thra. Amri...was right, I think. Garthim and Crystal Bats are...vulnerable to it...because they aren't...natural...just like the spears...it's too pure for them."

Her eyes were beginning to roll back in her head, and Kylan hurried over to her with worry. "Don't talk right now, Brea. Rest. We need to get you seen to."

He heard Rian's battle shout, followed by Gurjin's. He risked a glance in their direction to see them dispatching the final garthim, leaving only the one being controlled by Deet still standing. That one stood near Rian, apparently having played a part in holding its fellow still for the two gelfling males to finish it off.

Kylan looked back at Brea's pale face. She had passed out in Rek'yr's arms, her head lolling back.

"She could be injured on the inside," Rek'yr said, gazing down at his betrothed with a frown. "We must get her safely away from here."

"She can ride in the supply wagon," Naia said with a nod at the vehicle in question. There were still a couple of the crystal spears left unused and whole, and the Drenchen female smirked. "I'd say we can call this a victory. Just what do we do about _this_ one, though?"

Everyone looked when she nodded at the single Garthim left standing, and Rian appeared uncertain. He spoke not to his gelfling companions, but to the creature directly. "Deet, can you maintain control of this creature for a while longer? Long enough for us to finish what we came to do?"

The garthim hesitated for a moment, and then it bobbed as if nodding. Rian still seemed uncertain.

"If you feel your control slipping," he said, "signal me somehow. I don't want to harm this garthim while you're still linked to it, but if it starts acting like a typical garthim, we may have to."

Again, the creature gave what passed for a nod. Hup and Lore rejoined the group, and the podling hopped down and offered Prince Vaurin's essence to Kylan. When the Spriton gave him a questioning look, Hup shrugged.

"Kylan only one here to hurt Garthim without sparkle spears," explained the podling. "Hup thinks it's safer with you."

"He's right," agreed Rian, nodding atop his land strider. "You should hold onto it for now, Kylan. All that's left for us to do here is gather up the drained out of that pit and do as much damage to it as we can before we're on our way. Leave the rest to us. You should watch over Brea with Rek'yr while we finish this."

"I'll help," insisted Juni, watching Brea with concern. "I want to do what I can for the princess."

"Good," agreed Rian. He looked to Naia, who nodded. "All right; let's hurry this up. I doubt we have much time left before more Garthim come, and Skeksis might come with them."

"Give the word, Rian," said Naia, looking around at the remaining women on her team. "We'll drop every single bomb we have on this place, as soon as everyone is clear."

* * *

As feared, the lookouts reported that a great line of Garthim were coming from the direction of the castle. Gurjin said it reminded him of the Black River, there were so many of them. It was a disconcerting thought to say the least, but Gurjin assured Rian that they were moving slowly enough for them to finish their business and be gone before the enemy reinforcements arrived.

Rian hurried things along as quickly as possible. There actually weren't as many slaves being held in the pen as he'd anticipated, which suggested that some had been disposed of or moved elsewhere since Deet last spied on the location. Rian tried not to think of what had been done to those victims before they could be liberated. The podlings might have been fortunate enough to be hand-picked as new castle servants, but any gelfling drained missing from the headcount were likely experimented on or their bodies destroyed.

They got every last one of the remaining drain victims loaded into their transport carts, and Rian had Kylan fire a flaming arrow into the sky to signal the final objective. The wagons left ahead of everyone else, carrying with them the liberated drained and the injured. Rian and Gurjin stayed behind at the pit to witness the dropping of the bombs. Naia had suggested dragging the still unconscious Ritual Master into the pit before starting, but Rian forbade it with the reminder that murder was still beneath them.

It was brutal and spectacular, the damage those explosions did to the slave pen. Watching it gave Rian a feeling of accomplishment. When the Skeksis arrived to see for themselves what happened to their slave storage, they would know beyond a doubt that Gelfling weren't going to back down, weren't going to take the abuse, tyranny and slaughter of their kind any longer.

Skeksis would perhaps finally know fear of Gelfling; a thing which had never happened before in the history of Thra. Rian knew that could make the Skeksis even more dangerous and provoke them into further aggression, but it might also force them to have some respect. It might give them reason to hesitate before committing further acts of aggression, at least for a little while.

As the pit went up in smoke and the females fluttered around it, Rian wondered how much time this attack may have bought his people. It had already been more or less decided that the clans would have to leave their homelands and start over somewhere across the vast sea. The question now was whether they could wait long enough to strike one last blow against the castle itself, or if that move would have to wait for another two generations.

"Even if we can't see it done in our lifetimes," Rian promised softly, staring at the smoke billowing up from the pit, "Gelfling will return some day to make it happen."

"Hmm?" Gurjin turned on his mount to regard him. "What are you talking about?"

"The castle," explained Rian, returning his friend's gaze. "We know we can't heal the crystal completely until the next Great Conjunction, but it will have to be done regardless."

"You're far too sober these days," sighed Gurjin. "We just won a massive victory today, Rian! We should go home, restore Vaurin and celebrate. Worry about what comes next after we've nursed our hangovers."

"Hmm. I suppose you're right. At least about the victory." Rian tried to smile, but smiles seemed to come much harder to him these days unless he was with Deet. "I'm still wary of celebrating until we know the theory of restoring the drained is right, though."

"I guess we'll find out once we return Vaurin to Ha'rar," mused Gurjin, "or do you suppose we should try giving him the essence before then? It'd be fantastic if he could ride home to his wife on his own, don't you think?"

"It would," agreed Rian, "but I think Seladon should be there when we try it. She needs to see it happen, whether it works or not. She's...fragile, Gurjin. She might not be willing to believe us if we tell her we got his essence and gave it to him if it doesn't restore him as hoped."

Gurjin grimaced. "I didn't think of it that way. What do you suppose she'll do if it doesn't work? Think she'll be completely cracked?"

"Thra, I hope not," said Rian with all sincerity. "I'm not exactly best friends with Seladon, but she's suffered enough already. Even if she weren't our All Maudra, I would still hope for her sake that this works. As it is, we need her leadership. At least until we settle the new land and decide how we want our society to run afterwards. For everyone's sake, she needs to keep being All Maudra."

"You have that much faith in her?"

Rian smirked, lowering his gaze. "It took time, but yes. She's a tactician and a diplomat at heart. We need those qualities, especially if we settle this new land and find other Gelfling there. We're bound to clash with them if they feel we're invading their territory. Seladon made some bad decisions, but it's clear to me that the survival of her people is what matters the most to her. I think she'll find a way where other leaders might fail."

"Hmph. You don't even sound like Rian anymore," accused Gurjin.

"Oh yeah?" Rian shot a wink at his friend. "Say that again over a few Stonewood brews while we rest up on the way back to Ha'rar. There's still a bit of the old me left in here."

Gurjin looked as though he was about to say a jest in response to that, but then his teasing expression melted into one of wary concern. His yellow eyes fixated on something past Rian, and he nodded.

"Rian, something's happening with that garthim Deet's been using."

Rian turned, and he was at first puzzled to see the garthim in question scurrying away fast, heading in the direction of the castle where the reinforcements were on their way from. The creature was moving at a lurching, desperate pace as though fleeing from the Gelfling it had been fighting alongside.

"I think that's the sign," deduced Rian.

"Eh?"

"I told Deet to give some sort of signal when she felt her control of the garthim slipping," reminded the Stonewood. "Now it's running away all the sudden. She must be putting as much distance between it and us as she can before she loses her hold on it completely."

"Ooohhh," drawled Gurjin, scratching his chin. He nodded. "I think you're right. Smart girl. By the time that thing shakes off her control, it'll be too far away from us to try and catch up with us."

Rian looked up at the flight of women that were now leaving the wreckage of the pit behind. Naia waved at him overhead, signaling that they'd used the last of the explosives.

"Good timing," he said. "Now, let's get away from here and put further distance between us and that garthim."

* * *

Deep in the forest beneath the protective dome of petrified vines, Deet slowly opened her eyes and blinked away the purple fog that dimmed her vision. She felt sick in body and soul from hanging onto control of the creature for so long, but beneath all of that was triumph...and hope.

"We did it," she whispered through cracked lips. "We did it...Rian. Hup."

She was too tired to do more than smile, and Deet soon drifted into a much needed healing sleep. Her friends were safe, for now. So was her family. The toll on her body was high, but she could recover.

* * *

-To be continued


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As some of you know, I'm trying to start over again after another move. Updates are going to be slow for a while, but I'm still here. I also want to call to attention that we have a blatant thief out there, making profit off of Ao3 creators without our permission through an app called "Fanfiction Pocket Archive Library", both on the Apple store and Android. This application rips stories from Ao3 without permission of the writers, and the creator charges money for premium services and requests "tips" for the service. In other words, a thief is making money off of our intellectual works that are posted on a non profit site. Some of my own works also happen to be my original creation. I urge you all to report this app and its creator, report their Tumblr blogs and any other public platforms you see them advertising on and in doing so, help stop the exploitation of writers and artists. Some of us can barely afford to pay bills, yet there are scum out there making money off what we provide free of charge. It has to end.
> 
> Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this new chapter.

* * *

They made it to Stone in the Wood, and some of the gelfling there identified loved ones amongst the drained upon inspection of them. It wasn't an easy task, and not just because of emotions involved. The draining process withered its victims, melting the flesh from their bones and leaving them as shadows of their former selves. It was difficult to recognize faces that had been wizened beyond their years, robbed of life and expression. Only a few of the drained were identified by residents. The rest would have to wait for later when Gelfling from other clans and locations could look at them.

The victory celebrations were fairly subdued. It was hard to revel over the success with the drained nearby as a reminder of what the Skeksis had done. They had to pen up the drained for their own good; otherwise they might wander and fall victim to predators outside the village.

Word had come that Ha'rar had already prepared to take in all of the drained, ironically using a similar technique to what the Skeksis had done. They had converted an old paddock meant for land striders into a shelter to keep the drained once delivered. It was the only way to keep them safe until some of them could be—hopefully—restored.

As for the rest, it was yet to be decided. Nobody wanted to abandon the drain victims to their fate, but the ugly truth was that if it came to a decision between the living and the walking dead, the living had to come first. Everyone knew this, but it would be Seladon who would have to make that final call.

* * *

"Well, how is she?"

Rian sipped at his brew and gave his friend a sideways glance.

"Deet," clarified Gurjin. "I'm sure you and Hup went to visit her when you disappeared for a couple of hours. It was clever of you to slip away while everyone was busy searching for familiar faces in the crowd of the drained we brought back, but I know you too well."

"Yes," admitted Rian softly. "We went to see Deet. I was worried about her."

Gurjin didn't blink. "And?"

"She's weak and a bit sick from the whole thing," confided Rian unhappily. He thought of how difficult it had been for her to keep her eyes open during the visit, and the lingering traces of purple veins he could see beneath the surface of her green-tinted skin.

"I don't want her doing that again," Rian decided, more to himself than to Gurjin.

"Do you think you could stop her?"

Rian looked at his companion head-on, opened his mouth and then shut it again. He rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "Thra, try to stop Deet from doing anything she sets her mind to. No, I couldn't stop her. All I can do is beg."

Gurjin nodded. "Well, if anyone can influence her one way or the other, it has to be you."

"I would like to think so, but even if I could influence her, I'm not sure that I _should_. What she's been doing is more valuable to Thra than any of the rest of us could contribute. Fighting and weapon skills are well and good, but she has a direct connection to creation itself."

Gurjin's face screwed up, and he had a deep swallow of his brew before wiping his lips and burping softly. "Rian, Deet is amazing. I'm the last gelfling that would disagree with that. She's not a warrior by our definition, but she's got more gumption than anyone I've ever met; except maybe Hup. She can't keep going on like this, though. Not if it's taking such a toll on her."

"Hmm." Rian mulled it over for a moment. Deet had as much right as the next gelfling to risk her life for Thra and the clans. Though her method of doing it was unusual, she had no more to lose than the rest of them. Whether by the blade or by mysticism, they were all putting their lives on the line in this struggle.

"Is it fair for me to ask her to stop," Rian pondered aloud, "when the rest of us ride into battle and stand to lose as much as she does?"

"When we ride into battle," reasoned Gurjin, "we aren't sucking up poison in the process. Win or lose, it isn't the fight that can kill us. That's not the same as what Deet's doing. She's handling huge amounts of corrupted energy. That by itself is what's going to kill her if she keeps going, I think."

Rian looked at his friend, a little surprised by his insight. He would have expected Kylan to present reasoning like this, but not Gurjin. "I never would have picked you as the sort to have such a clear understanding of it."

Gurjin shrugged and waited until he took another swallow of his drink before responding. "I know there's a lot of things in Thra I'll never understand. I grew up with a healer and a Maudra as a mother though, and she taught all of us about the circle of life and energy and whatnot. I wouldn't call it intuition on my part; just training. My sister would know more about it than me."

Rian smiled. "Well in any case, I think you're right. Deet _is_ taking a bigger risk than the rest of us, when you put it that way. I'll talk to her about it again after she's had the chance to rest up another day and have a clearer head."

Mention of Gurjin's twin got him to thinking of her and how well she'd handled her role in the strike at the slave pen. "Naia did well in the fight. Not that she doesn't always handle herself well, but I had my doubts about her leading the bomb drop from the air."

Gurjin burped again after another swallow of brew. "Why? She's going to be Maudra of the Drenchen some day...if there's even enough of us left by then for her to lead. Of course she handled it well."

Rian chose not to remark on the comment about what the future held for the clans. It was very likely that their current societal structure would crumble by the time this struggle was over, or at the very least be changed for good. Change had already occurred; they now had a male leading one of the clans for the first time in recorded history.

"I wasn't talking about her tactician skills or prowess in battle," explained Rian. "I was talking about her flight. Naia once told me that Drenchen wings aren't really suited to staying aloft for long periods of time or quick maneuvers. She said they're fit for an aquatic environment; better for swimming or gliding. She kept herself in the air better than I expected her to in that fight."

"Oh, right." Gurjin's brows went up, and he gave an impressed nod. "She did, didn't she? I didn't even think of that. I did notice she took perches a lot during the fight and directed the others on where to go, so she must have improvised when she had to. Good on her."

Rian nodded and grinned. "Yes, good on her. Let's not tell her about this conversation, though."

"Why? If you're worried you might hurt her pride because she couldn't stay aloft as long as the others, don't. Naia's gotten over her envy of other girls' wings and I think she's quite proud of her own, now."

"I honestly had no idea she ever suffered envy," admitted Rian. "I'm more worried about her ego getting too big if we heap too much praise on her."

The Drenchen barked a laugh and shook his head, his woven locks sweeping back and forth with the motion. "Naia's going to have an ego no matter what we do. You ought to know that."

"Yes, but that's mostly for show," insisted Rian. "She's always given me the impression that she does it in jest. Maybe to cover up the pressure she's under as the next Maudra of your clan. I just don't want her to get cocky and make a mistake that will cost her."

Rian sighed, falling into a pensive mood. "None of us can afford to be overly confident. We've won another victory, but I doubt it will come without a price. Skeksis won't be forgiving about it, and speaking of egos, we've no doubt injured theirs more. We have to stay on our guard at all times and be ready for retaliation. I don't think it will end until we've completely vanquished them or settled in another land somewhere they can't reach us."

Gurjin nodded in agreement, and he clapped Rian on the shoulder. "Right. No getting cocky. Speaking of my twin, where in blazes is she?"

Rian looked around as well, just now noticing she was nowhere in the community feasting area. "I honestly don't know. I saw her just moments before we sat down together. She was speaking with that tall Grottan that was with us on the pit raid. What? Why are you pulling that face all the sudden?"

"That Grottan," muttered Gurjin, "is trouble."

"Amri?" Rian stared at him, openly boggling. "He's done nothing wrong. In fact, he's proving to be a valuable ally in this struggle."

Gurjin shrugged, started to take another drink from his mug and then up-ended it, realizing it was empty. "Hmph. Need a refill."

"You're avoiding the question," observed Rian with a lopsided smirk. "What is it about Amri that you don't like? He seems a nice enough fellow. A little awkward, but no more than Deet was about surface dweller ways when she first saw the light of day."

"He's...shady."

Rian scoffed, figuring out the true motivation behind his friend's mistrust of the Grottan in question. "He grew up underground. If he's 'shady', it's because he has to keep his hood low to shield his eyes from daylight."

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I know what you mean," answered Rian, "but I think you're playing the protective brother now. In case you were asleep during our earlier conversation, Naia is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. You of all gelfling shouldn't split hairs about interclan relations. I saw you go off with two girls the night before the attack—"

"They were curious—"

"—and neither of them were from your own clan," finished Rian, ignoring the other male's feeble excuse. "If Naia is spending time with Amri, what business is it of yours? She's probably just curious about him, and not in the way those girls were about you."

"Thra, I hope so," sighed Gurjin. When he saw the way Rian lifted a brow, he spread his arms. "What? Naia's an important gelfling—or at least she _will_ be. Is it so wrong that I want to see her settle down with the right mate?"

Rian rolled his eyes. "I suppose I'm picking the wrong mate, then. Deet is Grottan too, and I'm basically a Maudra myself. Go on, tell me I'm setting my hopes in a wife too far beneath me."

"That's...different."

"No, it isn't." Rian chuckled at the helpless expression on his friend's face. "Face it, you're trying to set standards for Naia because you're overly protective of her. Otherwise, I have to assume you've become prejudice."

"I am not!"

"Then find out who this Amri is before you judge him," suggested Rian, "and find out if your sister is even interested in him that way before you blow your top. Even if she is, that doesn't mean she'll end up taking him as her husband. I don't see you pair bonding with any of the ladies you've carried on with."

"There's too much of me for one lady," quipped Gurjin with a smirk. "I'm untamable."

Rian favored him with a very dry, askew look, rolled his eyes and then grinned.

* * *

_"Deet. Deet, can you hear me?"_

The Grottan maiden stirred, feeling the heavy fog of exhaustion lift just a little. She blinked dark eyes open and struggled into a half-sitting position, frowning. Had she imagined the voice? Her head was pounding, and her mouth felt like it was filled with sand.

_"Deet, let us in. Are you okay?"_

Now she was sure of it; Rian was trying to get into her vine dome. She was puzzled that she could hear his mental voice so clearly; usually that required a dreamfast or in some cases, pair bonding. Not all Gelfling couples could communicate mentally to each other without touching, but Deet knew her fathers were counted amongst those few that could.

It took some effort for her to pull herself into a sitting position, and even more to command the petrified vine structure to part for Rian and Hup. Within moments, the interior of the dome was softly lit by a glow lantern. Rian stepped out of the tunnel first, with their podling friend close at his heels.

"Deet!" Hup scuttled over to her while Rian looked her up and down with concerned eyes. The podling embraced her, and he spoke again when Deet feebly returned the hug. "Hup brought food. Nicha eat much."

She understood the gist of it, and though her stomach rumbled, she also felt nauseas. "I'm sorry Hup, but I don't think I can eat very much right now."

Hup pulled away and loosened the straps securing a gourd to his back. He gave it a little shake, and he offered it to Deet. "Soup," he explained. "Easy to sip. Try, Deet."

She looked up at Rian, who gave a nod and a little smile of encouragement. Deet took the gourd, uncorked it and swished the contents around a bit before sniffing curiously. Her mouth immediately began to water at the tempting aroma of the broth. Unable to resist, she took a sip, then another. It was quite tasty, with a flavor of mushrooms and some sort of nuts.

"Mm, it's very good," she complimented with a smile. "Did Kylan make it? I know he's fond of making soup."

"Nah, not Kylan." Hup shook his head, and then he thumped himself on the chest. "Hup cooked just for Deet! So uh, you like?"

"I do," she assured him. She kept forgetting that her podling friend was a bit of a chef in his own right. After all, Hup had few chances to demonstrate his culinary skills these days. Deet noticed Rian watching her with a decidedly pensive look on his face, and she paused in the act of lifting the gourd to her lips for another sip.

"What is it? Did something go wrong while I was resting?"

Rian shook his head. "No. All of the drained we recovered are safe and well…or as well as they _can_ be. Hup and I came to talk about you, Deet, and where we go from here."

She stared up at him, sensing where this was going but reluctant to act on it. Hup cleared his throat and stepped back while Rian approached the Grottan and got down on one knee before her. He took Deet's hands in his and he gazed into her eyes.

"I think you know what this is about," Rian whispered.

Deet looked between him and Hup, torn. "I think I do." Her voice was just as quiet. "Rian, I—"

"You've done enough," interrupted the Stonewood gelfling firmly. He examined Deet's hands, then pushed one of her sleeves up to check her arm. He breathed a sigh of quiet relief before meeting her eyes again. "What you've done for Gelfling, and for Thra, is invaluable. We need you, Deet. _I_ need you…but more than in spirit. The Darkening is poisoning you steadily. Hup and I both see that, and I think all of our friends sense it too. Even Gurjin."

Deet swallowed, unable to deny it. She accepted the water gourd that Rian gently handed to her, and she took several hefty swallows before licking her lips and brushing a wild strand of tangled, pale hair from her eyes. "What is it you want me to do? The threat of the Darkening is always going to be here while Skeksis are in power. Mother Aughra and me are the only ones that can keep it from spreading, so far!"

Rian's face fell, and he heaved a weighted sigh. He lowered his head and he nodded gently. Beside him, Hup did much the same. When Rian looked up again, his eyes were bright with purpose. He put his hands on Deet's shoulders and he stared into her eyes.

"Yes, we know. You're the only one of us that can tame the Darkening. You are the only one of us that can wrest control of the Garthim from Skeksis. You're also the only one that can spy on them without detection, and that's invaluable."

Rian paused, lowered his gaze and sighed. "You also stand to lose the most, out of all of us. If you keep handling that energy, it's going to catch up with you sooner or later. It could consume you, Deet, and until the crystal is healed, the Darkening can't be purged completely. No matter how hard you try. You'll lose yourself in the process, and…and _I'll_ lose you as well. Hup will lose you."

Beside Rian, the podling nodded empathetically with agreement. He reached out to pat Deet's nearest hand. "Deet too important. No want lose Deet."

Her eyes softened on Hup, and then she looked to Rian again. The desire to protect Thra and all life on it warred with her personal desire to be with her friends—and particularly with her handsome love interest.

"I'm not sure what the right path is for me," she confessed softly. "The Sanctuary tree had no time to impart all of its knowledge to me, and it didn't even know what would happen after that."

"What does Mother Aughra say?" pressed Rian gently. "Surely she's advised you in your visits while in the dream world."

"She has," agreed Deet. Her lips thinned over her teeth with uncertainty.

"And?" he urged. "You know what's coming. You know we can't stay and expect our people to thrive. If we try to stay and wait it out until the next Great Conjunction, we'll be fighting for survival every step of the way. Childlings will grow up in fear, if they live long enough to grow up at all. Skeksis won't stop until they've drained every last gelfling in this realm. Their greed for power and immortality will assure it, and now we've given them reason to fear us."

"I…I know all that," Deet whispered, ears drooping. "I know we have to leave, but what about the other drain victims we rescued? What will happen to them, Rian? Surely some of the essence flasks the Skeksis are keeping in reserve belong to some of them. Are we to just leave them? Let Skeksis consume them as they have so many others? That's what's going to happen, you know. When we've gone and they have no more Gelfling to drain, the Skeksis will turn to their 'surplus' stores to renew themselves."

"I've been thinking of that myself," Rian told her, "and I want to propose one last, coordinate blow against the enemy before the exodus, if possible. Not to kill Skeksis, but to liberate the essence of our brethren from them."

Deet relaxed, smiling a little. "Really? It would mean attacking the Castle of the Crystal itself."

He nodded. "Yes, it would. I'm prepared to do that, for the sake of sparing as many of our kind from the fate Mira and so many others suffered. If there's a chance we can restore any of them at all, then we must take it."

Deet thought on his bold, determined words, and she pictured Seladon's stern, regal face in her mind's eye. She groaned and rubbed her forehead. "The All Maudra. She'll never agree to a direct assault. She never wanted this war to begin with. Despite her misguided actions in the past, her intentions were the same as they are now: to protect Gelfling."

"She may be more willing than you think," said Rian.

Deet cocked her head a little, gazing at him. "Has she really changed all that much?"

Rian frowned a little, and he and Hup traded a somber look between them. It was the podling that spoke up next.

"Lady Seladon is brave. Strong. Not afraid to stand up to Skeksis anymore."

"I agree," said Rian. "She's become quite the strategist. She even refused to negotiate with the enemy for the return of her own husband. Now that we've rescued him _and_ his essence, we may be able to restore him. If it works, Seladon will have proof that the drained can still be saved. Her sense of duty and responsibility to our people will win out if she believes the reward is greater than the risk."

"But it's the convincing that may be hard," sighed Deet.

Rian gave her a sidelong look. "Seladon isn't the only one that can be hard to convince."

Deet looked at him blankly, and Hup nudged her.

"He means you," supplied the podling succinctly in a loud whisper.

"Me? I don't…_oh_!"

It finally dawned on the tired Grottan maid that they were talking about her own reluctance to change her course. Deet flushed a little under Rian's direct, hopeful stare. She bit her lower lip, weighing the odds as best she could.

"You really want me to abandon the dome and stop purifying the Darkening."

"We want you to live, Deet," corrected Rian, "and if this continues much further, Hup and I are afraid you'll reach a point you can't come back from."

Hup nodded. "Ya. Deet fought hard, but now others' turn. Deet needs rest. Bet Aughra say so too."

She went still, closing her eyes. Their world cried out to her, she could feel both Thra and the crystal's pain. Hup was exactly right in his observation, though. Mother Aughra had indeed told her that she had done more than her part, and her place was with her family, her friends, and her fellow Gelfling. She'd praised Deet for her strength and resolve, and she'd reminded her that the best hope of survival for the clans was across the great water, far from Skeksis reach.

It was hard to accept that, though. To Deet, it felt like failure. She had made a promise to the Sanctuary Tree that she would somehow stop the Darkening.

That was before she knew the crystal couldn't truly be healed without the alignment of the heavens, though. That was before it became she understood the connection between the Skeksis and their Mystic counterparts. To destroy one, you had to destroy the other…and Deet truly didn't want to _destroy_ anyone. Especially not SkekGra or UrGoh. The former was proof that Skeksis were redeemable, and the latter was proof that not all Mystics were content to be passive observers.

"I suppose I need to accept it," she finally decided, meeting Rian's eyes again, followed by Hup's. "I can't completely remove the corruption. Maybe nobody can; at least until the crystal can be healed."

"Then the answer should be clear," urged Rian. He took her hands in his, and he examined them for a moment…perhaps looking for signs of lingering traces of the Darkening in her skin. He frowned a bit, and Deet looked down as well. No wonder he was concerned. Her fingertips were still faintly darkened, their natural greenish tint stained with violet.

"You need to leave this place," finished Rian, meeting her gaze again. His eyes were so brilliant with shades of green, blue and gold. She'd always found the color of them so riveting.

Deet bit her lip again, looked around at the solid, protective walls she had created to protect others from the influence of her workings, as well as to shield herself from the world. They were right; there really was nothing more she could do that she hadn't already done. To keep the Darkening from spreading through these lands, she would have to stay indefinitely. The clans were going to leave their territory and set out for new lands, hopefully free of corruption or Skeksis influence. She would use herself up for a lost cause.

"All right," she said at last, her tone one of heavy defeat and resolve. Her ears drooped, and she lowered her eyes and stared at the ground. "I don't have anything to bring except for my bag. It will be nice to see Brea and our other friends again, too."

Hup took one of her hands to give it a supportive squeeze. "No be sad. Deet belongs with friends. Soon we see new land and fresh start."

That did cheer her a little, if only slightly. What would really help cheer her would be if the theory of restoring the drained turned out to be correct. She watched as Rian hoisted her bag over one shoulder, and she began to follow the pair to the tunnel she opened up.

"Have they tried to get Prince Vaurin to drink his essence yet?" she asked, only now becoming aware that more than a day had passed since the raid on the slave pit.

"Not yet," answered Rian. "We're going to take him to Ha'rar, to his wife. If your plan works, it's only right that Seladon be there for it."

Deet sighed, hoping against hope that it _would_ work and the All Maudra would have her husband back, at least. Perhaps if it succeeded, Seladon would be more willing to conduct one final strike against the enemy, and more of the drain victims could have a chance at life again.

* * *

Several days later, Brea and Rek'yr arrived with a force of mixed warriors and all of the drain victims from the pit. Seladon greeted her sister with a hug when they met up in the citadel, and she gave her a faintly apprehensive look.

"Is he with them? Do you have the flask?"

Brea nodded. "Yes. We've placed all of the drained in one of the Landstrider holding pens, for now. It's the only way to keep them from wandering off, I'm afraid. Vaurin is with them."

Seladon took a steadying breath, ignoring the supportive, gentle pat given to her by the Librarian at her side. "Take me to him. I need to see him."

Brea exchanged an uneasy look with Rek'yr before answering. "Wouldn't you rather wait until we've had the chance to give him his essence?"

Seladon swallowed, clearly picturing the last sight of her beloved she'd seen before he was again taken from her. She shook her head. "I've already seen what the draining did to him, sister. I won't come apart."

Truthfully, Vaurin was in better condition than any other harvest victims Seladon had seen. SkekZok had taken special measures to see to it that he was easily recognizable and well cared for, though his efforts hadn't been for charitable purposes.

"Very well, All Maudra," stated Rek'yr. "We will take you to him now."

Seladon swallowed her misgivings, placing a hand over the swell of her abdomen. Time was running out, and plans had to be underway soon if she didn't want to be forced to postpone the exodus until after her daughter was born. Delay would only put more of her people at risk, so she couldn't procrastinate even for the sake of her prince.

* * *

Seladon stared down at what remained of her beloved paladin, shambling aimlessly with the other drained ones below. They'd had no choice but to pen them up in one of the royal land strider stables, an interior one protected by a domed ceiling. It used to be where the paladins of the high guard had their mounts cared for between rides.

Now it was essentially a corral for the living dead. Not just gelfling, but podlings as well. Seladon felt compelled to bring them all to Ha'rar once she learned that the raid on the slave pens was successful. Some might say it was pointless for the gelfling to risk so much to rescue prisoners that were, for all intents and purposes, already dead.

"He is different from the others, my lady," informed Captain Nethrid as they stood together on the walkway lining the pen below. "Not just in appearance. As you can see, the rest of the drained seem to have no concept of where they are or even if there are obstacles in their path. Your husband is eerily still, not restless like the others."

Seladon could see that. Vaurin's clothes were tattered now, unlike the last time she'd seen him. While the other gelfling drained and the handful of podlings staggered blindly—sometimes into walls, Vaurin stood still and quiet in the din. In fact, he was standing in the center of the pen, turning in slow circles in place. It wasn't random, either. According to reports, he always stood perfectly still...except for now. As she walked the circumference of the balcony ledge, he turned so that he was always facing _her_.

"Sister," Brea whispered, looking down again, "He's watching you."

"Can't be," denied Seladon, even as the shell of her husband pivoted steadily. "He's blind, like the rest of them. He can't _see_ me. His eyes aren't focusing on me."

"But he's looking in your direction," insisted Brea. She shivered. "I'm sorry to say this, but it's unsettling."

Yes, it was unsettling. It was also highly unusual. Almost as if...

"Seladon, I've been thinking."

The older sister repressed a groan. Brea thinking was usually not a good thing.

"If you consider the condition he's in compared to his...er...peers, and you take into account how focused he gets when you're here, could it be possible that some part of him is still in there?"

"How?" Demanded Seladon, whirling to face her sister. Her frustration, heartache and feelings of helplessness bogging down her fragile composure. "Don't feed me these ridiculous notions of false hope, Brea! When gelfling are drained, there's nothing left of them in the end! Vaurin is no different, save some differences in how much he withered in the process. It's only an abnormality, like the podlings that differ from the others drained like them. My husband is _gone_, Brea! He's...he's..."

"Not gone," corrected Rek'yr. The Dousan's chiseled features gentled as he gazed at her with quiet sympathy, and no small amount of determination. "Not yet. There is still hope for him, All Maudra, and should our plan succeed, it will mean hope for the others, as well."

"We have to try to save who we can," added Brea. "But first, we need to see to your husband."

Seladon didn't disagree with that, but the proposed effort to liberate what essence flasks hadn't been yet consumed by their keepers would be for naught if they couldn't restore the victims they were drained from.

"Take him out of there," she commanded to Nethrid. "Have him brought to the chambers beside mine and prepared. I want him bathed and dressed in clean, comfortable clothes. Come and fetch me when you're ready to try this. I want to give him the flask myself."

She kept staring down at Vaurin as she spoke, and he kept staring back at her. His eyes weren't focusing, but he certainly gave the impression that he could sense exactly where she was, even if he couldn't see her. Rek'yr was right in one thing, at least. Vaurin, unlike the others, was not completely gone. Even if he couldn't be restored, Seladon couldn't possibly leave him behind when they left these shores.

She began to picture what her life would be like with a mate that was little more than a shell of his former self, and it made her dizzy and sick. A sob caught in Seladon's throat, and her sister's arms went around her supportively.

"Come away from this place," urged Brea, trying to keep the grieving All Maudra on her feet. "You'll hurt yourself this way."

Seladon nodded, agreeing with her. She could sense her unborn daughter's distress. The baby was sensitive to her mother's moods as well as her physical condition. She was midway through her pregnancy, and she couldn't risk losing her child as well. It might be all she had left of Vaurin and the love they'd shared.

Her paladins came to her, one of them draping a cloak solicitously over Seladon's shoulders while the other helped Brea support her steps. Seladon looked down into the pit one last time as they made their way toward the stairwell, and she choked back another sob to see her husband's effigy still "watching" her.

* * *

Seladon rested up while she waited for Vaurin to get cleaned up and readied for the attempt to restore him. As soon as Captain Nethrid came to her chambers to inform him it was time, the All Maudra hurried to her husband's chamber to administer his flask to him. The guards didn't question her, and she saw hope in their eyes as they opened the door for her to let her in.

Seladon hadn't informed Vaurin's mother or his brother yet about the plan to try and restore him. She didn't want to cause them further heartbreak by getting their hopes up. She had decided to give them the news after the essence flask had been administered, whether the results were for good or ill.

"Vaurin," Seladon called breathlessly, hurrying to the still figure lying on the bed. He appeared to have been resting, which was odd because reports stated that he hadn't done so at all since his rescue. The other drained slept when fatigue finally forced them to, but Vaurin hadn't closed his eyes at all until now. Perhaps some part of him could sense where he was, and it brought him enough comfort to sleep.

He opened his eyes and turned his head toward her as she sank down on the edge of the bed. One of her paladins offered her his essence flask, and Seladon took it carefully in hand. She examined the sparkling, clear liquid in the container, glowing with a life of its own. She sensed movement from her mate, and she looked down to see him trying to sit up. Seladon slipped a hand beneath his shoulders to assist him, and when she had him upright, she removed the stopper from the flask.

"Quickly, my love. Drink this. It's yours." She brought the container to his lips, urging him to drink.

Vaurin's blind gaze immediately fixated on the vial. He began to reach for it. There was a pained expression on his beloved face that defied the apparent mindlessness of his condition.

"Yes," encouraged Seladon eagerly, watching him reach for it. She helped him to hold it, unwilling to allow even a single drop to spill. "Careful now. Drink every drop of it, husband. I'll help you."

She was very careful to cup her hands around his, guiding the vessel to his lips. He didn't drink sloppily as she'd feared he might, thank Thra. She had almost expect him to attack the beverage like a podling guzzling grain brew, but Vaurin pursed his lips around the flask and drank with slow, careful deliberation. It was as if he knew how precarious his situation was, how vital it was for him to take back into his body that which the skeksis had stolen.

"Sweet paladin," sighed the All Maudra as the last of the glistening essence vanished from the bottle down his throat. "Come back to me now. Your daughter and I need you."

He had finished it all, to the last drop. However, the haze didn't clear from Vaurin's eyes. Nor did the shadows of exhaustion surrounding them fade. His complexion didn't regain its vitality. His hair remained bleached of most color, and he continued to bear the vague expression on his face as before.

"I...don't understand," Seladon choked after several moments with no visible change. She looked at the empty flask now lying on the bed next to her husband's slack hand, and she picked it up. She glared accusingly at it. "This was supposed to restore you! Vaurin, can you say nothing to me? Can you see me?"

His eyes flicked to her, but they were just as blank as before, as if he'd just drank a flask of plain water and not his own spirit essence. Seladon's vision blurred, her stomach seeming to drop out from beneath her with the realization that, for whatever reason, the method that they'd been so hopeful of working was doing nothing for him.

At the end of her rope, Seladon threw herself down on the bed and pressed her face into his lap. She began to sob wretchedly, and though Vaurin attempted to comfort her with clumsy strokes to her hair, it wasn't enough.

"I want you b-back," she stammered against his thigh. "Please...Thra, help us! G-give him back to me!"

The other gelfling in the chamber looked on helplessly as their All Maudra cried in her afflicted mate's lap. Seladon vaguely heard murmurs from them, speculation on how they could be so wrong and whether it was even the correct essence flask to begin with. Eventually, Captain Nethrid dispersed the small crowd and laid a supportive hand on Seladon's trembling shoulder.

"Perhaps it needs more time," suggested the paladin. "What can I do for you, my lady?"

"Just...leave me alone with him for a while," quavered Seladon. "I'll...send word to his family tomorrow."

The captain hesitated for a bare moment, and then she withdrew her hand with a small sigh. "As you command, All Maudra. I pray you don't neglect yourself in your frustration, though. Someone will be just outside the door, should you need anything."

Seladon barely acknowledged the solicitous offer and sympathy. It did no good, and she didn't want to see anybody except her husband, restored and back to his old self again. She didn't want anyone to see _her_ either, because she was little more than a frightened childling right now, grief-stricken and helpless.

After Nethrid left her alone with Vaurin, Seladon cried herself into an exhausted sleep. Through it all, the shade of her husband stroked her hair. He continued to do so after Seladon's weeping faded and sleep overcame her. It wasn't enough for certain, but it did stave off the nightmares.

* * *

Seladon couldn't bear to put Vaurin back into the holding area with the other drained. She insisted on keeping him in his own chamber next to the one she used to share with him. Citadel attendants kept him bathed and groomed, though his body apparently required no nourishment. He rested when Seladon commanded him to, listening only to her voice and no others.

Two days after the failed restoration attempt, Seladon sent word to her mother in law about the successful liberation of her son as well as the other drained from the pit. The Sifa woman immediately came to visit her son, having been cautiously warned about his condition and what to expect.

Jeni's impression of Vaurin's condition differed from Seladon's. Perhaps it was her Sifa upbringing or perhaps it was a mother's inability to let go, but she insisted that her son was not completely gone. She told Seladon as much when she visited her chamber to check on her health and give her some things to make her pregnancy go easier.

"I know it hurts to talk about it," Jeni said, "but we need to come to terms with—"

"Vaurin is dead," Seladon finished for her, staring bleakly out the window from her seat in her rocking chair. "I know this, Mother. I need no reminder."

"Oh, he isn't dead my love," corrected the older woman.

Seladon turned her head slowly to look at Vaurin's mother, bursting with sudden pity for her. "Jeni, what stands there in that room is not my husband, nor your son. It's only a shell they left behind when they stole everything he ever was from us."

Jeni sighed, dropping her gaze to the journal she'd convinced Seladon to start keeping since falling pregnant. She always requested to look at the entries whenever they visited, so that she could be reassured that all was well with the progress of Seladon's condition.

"I understand why you're so determined to say that aloud, even if you don't believe it."

Seladon's mouth dropped open. Grief was making her mother in law mad. "You've seen him, just as I have! I'm sure you've seen the rest of them too."

"And yet," said Jeni with maddening calm, "my boy is the only one with some color left in his hair and skin. He's at least partially aware of his surroundings, and they've told me how he responds to you when you're in the room with him."

Seladon shook her head, feeling the tears building up again. "It's just...coincidence. Please, I can't..."

Jeni dropped the maternity journal and got out of her seat. She crossed the chamber to Seladon and bent over her, cupping the All Maudra's face in her hands with a brazenness that only a mother in law could have.

"You listen to me, girl. My son may be drained, but there's still some spark of him left. I believe you saw that, but you're too afraid of being wrong. Trying to convince yourself it's better to let him go."

"S-stop," whimpered Seladon. She bit the back of her hand, quaking now.

"I won't stop," answered Jeni, voice cracking like a whip with both authority and desperation. "My son isn't gone yet. Because of _you_. Vaurin lives on because of you, his lady. Drained though he is, there's still enough of him left in there to sense your presence, to turn his poor abused body in your direction and seek you out."

Jeni placed a hand on Seladon's rounding belly, glancing down at it. "And this baby. He lives on in her, too. You _are_ the only thing holding him to this world, daughter. It isn't his time to return to Thra. If you let him go, you may as well be killing him yourself."

Seladon gasped, her heart tearing asunder at the damning accusation. "Why would you...say that? I want nothing else in the world more than I want your son to live, to see him hold our child when she arrives, to have more childlings with him, to...to..."

She broke down and began to sob. Jeni's demeanor softened, and she hugged the younger woman with a sigh, pressing Seladon's head against her chest and stroking her hair.

"Shh, there now. I just want you to open your eyes, child. Look deep inside the well of your soul, where your _own_ connection to Thra—your essence—resides. Vaurin became a part of you when you pair-bonded, and I believe he's a part of you still. If you can tell me you truly don't feel that part of him still lingering, that you don't see something of him looking back at you from what you think is just a husk, then I'll leave the matter alone. I'll end his flesh myself, if it really is nothing more than a hollow shell."

"No!" Seladon clutched at the older woman's gown, shaking her head rapidly. "You can't! There's still a chance that healing the crystal could bring him back! Destroy his body and he'll...he'll be lost to us."

"But you believe he's lost to us until then?" continued the other woman relentlessly. "What if we _can't_ heal the crystal? What if returning the shard isn't enough, and even if it is, how can we be sure in doing so, we'll be able to restore Vaurin and the others?"

"I have to believe it's possible," Seladon quavered. "I can't just let him go! I'm not ready to lose him when I've just found him!"

Jeni pulled back and held Seladon by the shoulders. "If there's nothing more than a shell, then he's already lost. Do as I asked you to, girl. Look inside yourself. Search for his spark."

"How can...I be sure it's really him and not just...wishful thinking?"

The Sifa stared at her. "Believe me, Seladon, when that spark is truly gone, there's no doubt. You know it to the depths of your soul, the marrow of your bones. When your soul mate dies, part of you dies as well. That part of you, that empty little space that he filled in...it would be empty once more. Is it? Are you missing that part of yourself that Vaurin occupied when you bonded? I know that you miss _him_. That isn't what I'm asking."

"I...I'm not sure."

"Then quiet yourself. Calm yourself. Listen to your senses beyond the physical, Seladon."

The All Maudra took a deep, steadying breath and tried to do as she was instructed. Her heart ached so badly that she feared she would die from it. She almost hoped she would, but for the life growing inside of her. She had to keep on for the sake of her unborn childling...and for the sake of keeping her husband alive in some way.

Seladon found it much easier to concentrate on what Vaurin had said to her when they discovered she was expecting. She recalled the wonder in his beautiful eyes, the smile on his lips and his gentle encouragement. She conjured up that memory, listening to his voice in her mind. Tears flowed freely down her face, but she swore she could hear him speaking in her ear.

_"Quiet your thoughts, and listen to your inner senses. Do you feel her?"_

And she had. She'd felt their daughter's pure, delicate life essence inside of her. Seladon could still feel Vaurin's warm hand laying atop hers over her belly. That moment when their bond had been even truer than ever, when the two of them, as one, had been introduced to the life they had created together.

There. She felt it. The spark. It was flickering weakly, but still there, lighting that dark spot inside of her that she never knew was even there until her sweet, charming, dedicated paladin filled it.

He really _was_ still there. Struggling. Against all odds, when the last of everything he was should have been drained and consumed, he'd somehow held on.

"He's..." Seladon opened her eyes and looked at her mother through bonding, both elated and bewildered. "He's here. Just barely, but I can feel him!"

Now Jeni's eyes filled with tears. "Good girl. Oh, thank Thra. I knew it! I knew I was right."

"How could this be?" demanded Seladon.

"I think," said Jeni between sniffs, "that your bond with Vaurin anchored him to this life. He'd given you a part of himself, and my boy has always been terribly determined to cling to what matters the most to him. The part of yourself that you gave to him may be what allowed his physical form to resist the withering other victims were susceptible to."

"But surely some of the other drained ones had mates of their own," reasoned Seladon. "If what you say is true, there should be more in their ranks like Vaurin. I was told they took special measures when they drained him, but shouldn't some of the others have some small spark left of their own, all the same?"

"Not if they didn't have his strength of spirit," corrected Jeni. "Seladon, I knew before that boy was born that his essence was as bright as the suns. I don't know if it's because of how passionate Vahl and I were when we conceived him, or if it was just an ideal mix of good breeding. All I know for certain is that my eldest childling had so much life in him from the very beginning that it could barely be contained."

Seladon felt like she was on the edge of hysteria. She almost laughed at her companion's description of Vaurin, because it was so very fitting. She took another deep breath, and she rubbed the swell of her abdomen. "I don't know what to do. I know I can't leave him behind, but what would it look like if I make an exception for him if we don't have the room to transport _all_ of the drained with us?"

She sighed, and she carried on as kindly as she could. "Mindless, soulless bodies. Thra willing, we'll be able to restore all of them some day, but Vaurin may be the only one with something left of himself to begin with. What might happen to that spark if he's constantly surrounded by those lacking it?"

Jeni nodded. "This much is true. What would you be willing to do to protect your mate and safeguard what remains of him, Seladon?"

Seladon's resolve hardened. She knew what she had to do, but she was afraid. Fear had never stopped her beloved husband from throwing himself into danger for the sake of safeguarding her. She could do the same for him, somehow.

"I'll continue to care for him," she decided, her tears drying with that little bit of hope now rekindled in her heart. "Have him bathed, dressed in comfortable and suitable clothing, guarded at all times in a private chamber of his own, even once we reach the new land."

"Hmm."

Seladon looked up at her mother in law. "What is it? Do you think I'm going too far?"

"Actually, I was thinking you aren't going far enough."

The All Maudra flinched under that steady blue gaze. "Am I to pretend nothing happened? Take him to court with me and have him sit at my side like some macabre shadow of the prince everyone knew just a short while ago? Some puppet?"

"No, of course not. I'm not asking you to stand on ceremony and treat him as he was before this happened, Seladon. I'm suggesting that what he needs most to keep his spark alive is...well...you. He needs his wife. Locking him away in a private room with nice clothes, regular baths and hand feedings by servants isn't what Vaurin needs to keep going. What he needs is contact with you...his reason for living."

Seladon closed her eyes. This was her fear. How could she be close to him, look at him in that state? Even if the wasting effect of being drained wasn't as obvious on him as the others, he was but a shadow of the vibrant, passionate gelfling he once was. The drained ones didn't require food or water. Somehow having their essence stolen from them eliminated the need for sustenance of any kind; another reason the Skeksis thought they'd make ideal slaves.

Was she to sit at her meals and eat in front of him, knowing that her poor husband might never again know the delight of taste or refreshment of beverages?

"I...need time," Seladon decided, feeling sick. Then her stomach heaved, and she hastily dove out of her chair and raced for the chamber pot to be sick.

Jeni waited for her to finish, and after Seladon wiped her mouth off, the older woman helped her back to her rocking chair. "I've put too much on you," sighed Jeni. "I'm again sorry. My love for my son made me act too hastily and treat you callously. I should have practiced more care."

"I understand," Seladon assured her. "You want to protect what's left of him. I do as well. It's just that I don't know how strong my constitution is. It's all happened so fast. If not for the progression of my condition, I wouldn't believe so much time has gone by since he was taken from me."

"Of course," soothed Jeni, eyes glistening with tears. "It's heart rending. I don't dare bring Jermid to see him. The poor boy would be traumatized to see his brother, his role model, reduced to such a state. I too have obstacles to overcome before I can adjust to this."

Jeni stepped back, and she dug through her belt pouches for something. Moments later, she produced a vial of clear brown liquid. She offered it to Seladon. "Here. It's for your anxiety. Don't worry; it's safe for expecting women to consume. Pure herbal extracts to naturally ease tension and help you to sleep. Dilute one drop in a cup of drink whenever you feel too much anxiety, and two when you need help sleeping. No more than two drops, though. Any more than that and you'll sleep for days."

Seladon took it, trusting Jeni to know what she was talking about. "Did you use it when you were expecting your sons?"

"Oh yes," assured the older woman, smiling ruefully. "Especially with Vaurin. Since he was my first, I lived with the constant worry of something going wrong. The boy hardly moved later in my term as well, so had I not sensed his spark within me, I might have thought he'd died in my womb. Jermid kicked like an angry land strider though. He made sure to make his presence known as soon as he was developed enough."

Seladon listened to the babble, sensing her mother in law's anxiety now that she'd calmed her own somewhat. She set the vial down on the beverage stand near her rocking chair, and she managed a smile for Jeni. She wiped away the last remnants of her tears, and she reached out to take Jeni's hands.

"I will visit your son more often," she promised, "in time. It's going to break my heart, though. I know I'm going to be comparing this pale phantom of my husband with the beautiful man he once was. I won't neglect him though, all the same."

Jeni rewarded her with a trembling smile. "Vaurin told me from the beginning that you were the strongest woman he'd ever known. Stronger than _me_ even, and that's saying something. He must have been right, because I must admit if it were me in your place, I don't know that I could face the challenge you're up against."

"I can only imagine what it must feel like for you," returned Seladon, putting her own angst aside for the sake of family. She rubbed her belly in slow circles, thinking of her own unborn childling and the fierce, protective love she had for her already. "He is your son. Perhaps I wouldn't have understood the depth of a mother's love at one time, but now I know. I know what it means to have a part of yourself and your mate formed into an entirely new gelfling."

Seladon met the older woman's eyes, resolved. "You say that I'm strong, but you've held it together remarkably well, Mother. I will do everything in my power to restore your son...my life mate. If not, then I will watch over him and keep him safe from harm, no matter the cost."

* * *

Mother Aughra returned to Stone in the Wood for a visit, and to offer parting advice for the clans. By then, word had returned from Ha'rar that feeding the drained their own essence was apparently in vain. It was with a heavy heart that Rian conveyed this information with Aughra, with Deet at his side. The three of them met in a quiet clearing just outside the village to discuss events privately and exchange information.

"And so, it doesn't seem like we can restore anyone until the crystal is healed," Rian finished with a sigh. "Therefore, we can't see the value in attempting a raid on the castle itself."

Aughra nodded pensively, frowning. "No, most wouldn't. Aughra sees no benefit to it, either. Taking the stolen essence from Skeksis now would only assure they can't drink it. Those who suffered the draining stand to gain nothing from the effort. In this, Seladon would be wise not to take the risk. Gelfling must flee to survive, as we've talked about."

"I just can't believe it was all for nothing," fretted Deet. "I was so certain that Vaurin at least would be healed if he got his essence back! He was still _in_ there, Mother Aughra. I could speak with him in the Dream World."

"Then all is not lost," comforted Aughra. "Could be he can't be restored for now, but neither is he gone and you are largely to thank for that, gentle Deet. You've all fought bravely and well, but now is the time to look to survival first. Little ones are on their way into the world. Far better that they be born free than under the shadow of the Skeksis."

Deet nodded, and Rian stroked her hair gently, practically tasting her disappointment. There was little he could do to cheer her up, though. She'd been so sure of her theory, so hopeful that she'd found a way to save some gelfling and podlings from their fate without needing the Great Conjunction to occur first.

"We'll see to it that none are left behind," he insisted. "I'm sure Seladon agrees with me, even though it means the exodus will take longer. Drained or not, they're still our people. It will be difficult but not impossible to bring them too, even if it's in a separate ship."

"That is the way Gelfling should have been for all this time," mused Aughra, "united. Pity it took such tragedy to bring the clans together again."

"Honestly, I'm more worried about the Dousan than what Seladon decided," Rian said thoughtfully. "Seladon has good incentive to include the drained in this exodus and put our safety first, but I don't think the Dousan are going to be satisfied with leaving the stolen essence in Skeksis' hands."

Aughra stared at him with her single eye, seeming to peer straight through him and into his soul. "No, I imagine they won't be. Dousan may give the appearance of neutrality, but Skeksis have meddled with all that can holds most sacred. Aughra has seen angry Dousan before, and it's a sight to behold."

"And the Skeksis fear the Dousan," reasoned Deet. "They don't just look down on them the way they do other Gelfling."

"Skeksis fear death," explained Aughra, "and Dousan represent that which they most fear. In their misunderstanding of the desert folk's ways, they've given that clan power over them. Skeksis are a superstitious lot when it comes to their own mortality."

"I think the Dousan are aware of that," stated Rian with a little smirk, still stroking Deet's hair. She'd recently washed and brushed it, and he wasn't used to feeling it tangle-free and soft beneath his touch. "Not that I think Maudra Seethi is eager to rush off to war, but she and her clan were personally and grievously offended by what Skeksis has done to our kind so far. It's going to be hard to convince them to go without some form of retaliation attempts."

"Hmm. Rian sounds like a leader born to the role," mused Aughra, and she nodded in approval. "You see things as they are, not how you wish them to be. Gelfling will need that quality in the future."

The ancient heaved a sigh. "But Gelfling must also take a lesson from what has happened so far. Without hope of saving anyone through retrieving the essence, there's little use in another battle. What does Seladon say to all this? How does she fare?"

"Brea sent word that Seladon is holding up as well as can be expected," answered Rian, "better than most would, under her circumstances. She's understandably moody and withdrawn, but she's moving forward with our plans and working with the Maudras to organize the fleet and the clans. The Drenchen are starting their migration to the coast, and the Spriton intend to join up with them when they arrive at Sami Thicket."

"And what of your folk, Deet?" pressed Aughra. "Have they begun their journey yet?"

"My family is already at Stone in the Wood," explained Deet. "The rest of the clan are gathering up what they can take and should join us soon...only...Maudra Argot..."

When she trailed off softly and sadly, both Rian and Aughra looked at her with expectant concern.

"What is it, Deet?" encouraged Rian. He hadn't heard all of the news concerning the Grottan clan, apparently. "Is something the matter with your maudra?"

Deet met his gaze, and she nibbled her lip before answering. Her velvety, dark eyes were full of regret. "Maudra Argot won't be making the journey. I visited her in spirit last night. She's too old and frail, and she wants to be comfortable in her own bed when her time comes."

Aughra gave a quick nod after a moment. "So I suspected. No matter the effort, not all gelfling will go on this journey."

"Yes," agreed Deet. "Some of my clan are staying behind. Only a few. Some want to watch over the maudra until it's her time, and others just don't want to leave their home."

Rian grimaced. Some of his clan refused to join the exodus as well, and there were doubtless some numbers in the other clans that shared the decision. Not even Seladon's command could be enough to force them to leave their homes, if they truly didn't want to.

"We have to be content to save who we can," he said at last, "and be grateful to make it to the new land safely. Maybe those that stay behind will find a way to hide from Skeksis and survive long enough to see their rule finally ended, but it's their decision in the end."

"I know," agreed Deet. "I just want to see Maudra Argot again before we leave. Promise me I'll get the chance, Rian."

"I'll come with you," vowed the Stonewood leader sincerely. "We'll get you to Grot to say your goodbyes before we board the ships. Whatever it takes, Deet."

She gave him the tiniest, tragic smile. "Thank you."

Aughra got off the log she was sitting on with a grunt, and she reached for her walking staff. "Well, you have your work cut out for you. When Stonewood gelfling are ready to travel to Ha'rar, send word to Aughra. I'll travel with you and do what I can to encourage the clans to cooperate."

Rian and Deet nodded, and they too got up.

"Thank you, Mother Aughra," said Rian. "I have a feeling your influence might be needed, if we're to leave these shores without another conflict."

* * *

As they made their way back to the village, Deet's footsteps dragged. She looked sidelong at her companion, weighing what she knew she wanted with what she knew would possibly complicate things all the more. After all, they had a lot of work ahead of them. The struggle was far from over, and just making it to the new land was going to be a challenge in itself. All clans would have to pull together, and both she and Rian would have greater responsibilities to juggle.

Was there really time to indulge in a courtship?

Her heart responded to that question with a resounding _yes_, of course. Other gelfling hadn't stopped pair bonding. Many were expecting offspring, including the All Maudra. Why shouldn't she have that for herself? After all, just committing to a pair bond didn't mean they had to start having little ones right away. That could come later, once the clans were safely settled in the new territory and had re-established how their society was going to work.

Deet wasn't even sure when she'd be ready to have a childling, or if that day would come at all. Not everyone had babies. Maudra Argot hadn't, and that was why she'd named Deet as her successor. Her fathers wouldn't have produced any offspring of their pairing if it weren't for them adopting her and her brother. Her clan valued quality over quantity, so she knew no pressure would come from them even if she did end up taking Argot's place as Maudra of the Grottan.

However, most gelfling in love didn't have the welfare of entire clans to think about. Rian was a prince of his people now, and when they left these lands, Deet would be the next leader of her own clan. As leaders, they had to consider the needs of the many above themselves. Deet's head told her that this was not the time to delve into a commitment as serious as binding herself for life to another gelfling, and yet at the same time, another part of her head was reminding her that the clans would expect it of a leader. She wouldn't be a "commoner" in this new land. She would be a leader, and even if her Grottan kin didn't expect her to have offspring, Rian's clan could be another matter.

"Deet? You've stopped walking." Rian stopped as well, and he turned around to regard her. Those vivid eyes swept over her troubled face, her uncertain and girlish fidgeting, and the blush now darkening her green-tinted cheeks.

Rian twisted to look down at his own backside. "Do I have a split in my leggings or something?"

That made Deet burst into sudden giggles, and she shook her head rapidly. "No, of course not! I would tell you if there was. You know I'm not subtle about pointing things like that out."

"No, you aren't." He smiled at her, and he took a step closer. "What is it? I can tell something's on your mind."

"I...Rian, I..." she floundered, trying to put her thoughts into words but increasingly aware of her own inexperience.

"Whatever it is," he told her softly, "you can tell me. You can say anything to me at all, Deet. You know that."

She took a deep breath, and she gazed up into his eyes. It was at times like this that she realized how small she really was in stature. She rather envied her fellow Grottan Amri for his height, though he consistently seemed to walk at a slight hunch to make himself seem shorter than he was. She'd seen him stretch on his tiptoes yesterday, and she dared say he was of a height with their hardier Drenchen peers.

"Do you remember what we talked about before the attack on the pits?" she finally asked, hoping to Thra his words hadn't been uttered in haste. "About one day...you know...being mates?"

"How could I forget?" He brought her hand to his lips and kissed the top of it, staring into her eyes. "I think about it all the time. In fact, I find it hard to concentrate sometimes because...well, I can't even be near you without wanting to kiss you. I've tried my best to be a gentleman now that you're with us again, but sometimes it's very hard."

"Really?" still unused to having the attentions of such a handsome male, Deet blushed further. "I've been wanting you to."

"Oh?" Rian blinked, and then he smacked himself in the forehead, losing all pretense of princely dignity. "You see? This is _always_ my problem. I'm always too afraid of making the wrong move with girls, too afraid of rejection to do anything until it's almost too late."

"I haven't rejected you yet," she pointed out, smiling shyly at him. "I thought you were losing interest."

His eyes widened. "Never!"

His vehemence made another giggle threaten, and Deet felt like she had crawlies in her stomach. Not just in there, but all over her. Her skin felt alive with tingles, and she glanced off into the forest.

"Did you mean all of that? About us being mated someday?"

"Every word," he assured her. "I know this is a complicated time for us all right now, and I wasn't expecting you to come up with an answer anytime soon. Please believe me, Deet; I'm willing to wait for when you're re—"

He didn't even get to complete the sentence before she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him breathlessly on the lips. Rian stiffened with surprise, but he quickly relaxed his body and embraced her. After his initial response, he warmed up quickly and his mouth softened against hers. She parted her lips for him when she felt the tip of his tongue trace between them, and she allowed him access.

Deet's heart pounded faster, her pulse quickened and that queer feeling began in the pit of her belly and lower. Heat pooled there, lingering around her pelvis. She felt the same throbbing in her loins that she'd experienced every other time he'd kissed her this way, and her wings spread out of their own accord.

After countless moments, Rian pulled away slowly to look at her. He was short of breath himself, and there was a flush on his face to match hers.

"Um...I'm not sure what to do," admitted the Stonewood warrior softly. "I want to think that was a form of a 'yes', but—"

"It was," she confirmed. In fact, a part of her ached to finalize it this very night. There was too much to do, though. Preparations were underway and Rian still had council to attend to. "Perhaps...after we've dealt with immediate concerns and before we start the journey north?"

"You mean it?" he asked, as if he hardly dared believe it was true. "You really want to be married?"

"I thought I would never have a husband," she confessed, lowering her gaze. "I thought I would be taken by the Darkening long before you and I ever got to explore something deeper between us, but that's changed. I can't see myself with anyone else, Rian. If you really feel the same, then I want to do it. We may not have the time or opportunity once the exodus starts in earnest, right?"

"R-right," he stammered, swallowing. "Deet...Deet, you don't know how much I want to just drag you off into this forest and—"

"Oi, who's out there?"

Both gelfling gave a start at the sound of the familiar voice, and they turned to see a figure approaching with a glow lantern.

"Rian, is that you?"

Rian huffed a frustrated sigh as his friend and former fellow castle guard meandered into view. "Gurjin, what are you doing? I thought I asked you to wait at the council chamber for us."

"Yes, but you were taking so long that I thought I'd come and check on you," excused the Drenchen, spreading his arms. "Can't be too careful these days, can we?"

"I suppose not," muttered Rian. He favored Deet with a regretful, meaningful look that told her he didn't consider their conversation finished. "We're coming. Let's get this discussion over with so that we can move ahead, shall we?"

Deet shared his regrets, but this was just an example of some of the distractions they could expect in the future. At least they'd managed to establish that they both felt the same and were ready to take the next step in their relationship.

* * *

-To be continued


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your patience! Fair warning; this chapter has sexual content and thus isn't work safe.

Unfortunately, Rian and Deet didn't get the opportunity to act on their decision before they had to take to the road again. There was an important council to be held in Ha'rar, and every available clan leader was required to attend. Deet would be speaking for the Grottan, since Maudra Argot's health was too poor for her to be present for it.

They left Stone in the Wood at first light and Deet road behind Rian on his land strider. When they were out of immediate earshot of the rest of their travel group, Rian spoke over his shoulder to his companion.

"Are you comfortable enough back there? You know if you start to get saddle-sore, you could always ride in one of the carriages."

"I'm fine," she assured him. "I would rather be close to you than stuffed into a carriage, anyway."

He smiled faintly, and he rested a hand over one of her arms, encircling his waist. "It's all right to nod off if you feel sleepy. Just rest against my back and use the harness we put on you, so you won't fall off."

"I'm too anxious to rest," she sighed. She perked up a little upon seeing Hup, who was riding behind Kylan. "Hi, Hup! You aren't feeling sick yet, are you?"

"Nah, Hup not so bothered riding dis way," answered the Podling. "Flying, yah. Sailing, little bit."

"Ah. We're going to have to make sure to have a remedy for sea sickness then," Deet called back. "We're going to be doing a lot of sailing, once the fleet is ready."

"Bleh. Hup knows." The podling's face scrunched up without enthusiasm, and he burped as if the mere thought of it made him queasy. "Any way Hup could just sleep whole time?"

Rian chuckled. "We'll see what we can do, though you have to be awake sometimes if you want to eat."

"Hup won't eat much on boat," predicted the little paladin. "Tummy won't like it."

"Well that's no good," Deet admonished. "We can't have you wasting away to nothing! Maybe our Sifan friends have some trick they can show us to make it better for you."

"Surely they aren't all born with iron stomachs," agreed Rian. "I'll bet Onica could concoct something especially for you, Hup. We'll just have to be sure and talk to her about it before the day we sail."

Hup shrugged. "Maybe. Sifan lady makes good drink."

Rian glanced back over his shoulder at Deet. "Onica brews? I didn't know that."

"I think he meant the herbal teas she makes," guessed Deet.

"Oh. I was wondering how ale could possibly help an upset stomach." Rian grinned. "But then with podlings, you never know."

"Hup can hear you," groused their friend. Both gelfling smiled at him.

* * *

Seladon felt hollow inside. Part of her was missing, and it would remain missing until the day she took her last breath. Perhaps she and Vaurin would be finally reunited in the next life, when both of their bodies expired. It pained her to think that they might only have one child together, and that child was conceived primarily because _he_ wanted one. It was cruel for fate to tear him away before he could even see that desire realized and hold his own daughter.

Almost fifty trine, Seladon would have to wait. Practically two generations of Gelfling, before she could speak to her mate again, hold him, make love to him. By then their daughter would be grown and likely raising a family of her own. Perhaps they would even be grandparents. That was assuming that healing the crystal in time for the next Great Conjunction would even solve the issue of his restoration.

All of these thoughts dominated her mind to the point where she hardly heard a thing that was said during the council meeting. All of the clan Maudras and there representatives were there. It was an important discussion, but all Seladon could think of was her apparently doomed husband.

"My clan has confirmed what Mother Aughra suggested," Maudra Ethri was saying. "Less than a month's sail from the Sifan Coast is an un-occupied land mass, unblemished by the Darkening and large enough for all of our clans. Our biggest challenge besides getting everyone there will be to learn to live and thrive in harmony with one another. To let go of all prejudice and work together."

"I think given the state of things, Gelfling will be able to accomplish that," Rian said. "We no longer have the option of looking down on one another. There might be some petty squabbles in the beginning, but with all of us guiding our people together, I think we can make it work."

"Gelfling are meant to be of one heart and mind in the first place," stated Brea. "The lie we've been living for generations was designed by Skeksis to keep Gelfling from uniting. They sewed the seeds of mistrust and its up to each of us to purge that. The resistance was just part of the healing process. Sister, don't you agree?"

It took Seladon a moment to react, and had it been anyone besides her sibling, she might not have responded at all. She gave a nod and she spoke thoughts that had long been in her head before potential disaster became all too much of a reality.

"Gelfling may segregate by clan for some time to come. I feel this is unavoidable, because we've been doing it for so long. However, we can all be civil neighbors to each other, and with the help of you leaders, I believe we can build a new society for all Gelfling. What other choice is there? We must be as one overall, learn to help each other and cooperate, or future generations will pay the ultimate price."

Seladon placed a hand on the extending swell of her belly, her mind going to the daughter she would be bringing into the world before much longer. "Our children deserve better from us. I for one want my daughter to grow up without reservations about who she befriends. Grottan, Spriton, Sifa. These are all just little more than lineage now. May future generations be kinder to one another than we have."

Maudra Mera actually wiped away a tear when Seladon finished speaking, and she nodded empathetically. "That was lovely."

Seladon took the compliment in stride. She'd meant every word of that. It hadn't just been lip service to bolster the image of a benevolent leader. Her outlook on life had changed so much since the conflict began and her union with a male that, in earlier years, she might have looked down upon for his mixed heritage.

"I regret to bring grim conversation to the table after such fellowship," Maudra Laesid said, "but we still have the matter of what to do with the drained to consider."

Rian answered before Seladon could. "I say we bring them with us. We have time before the skeksis recover enough to attack again. Everyone can join in on the effort to build more ships for the fleet, and one of those ships can carry our afflicted brethren to the new land with us. There's still hope for them and I won't give them up for dead."

Seladon was immediately grateful for his altruism. She looked Rian in the eye and mouthed: _"Thank you"_ while the others began discussing the matter, and he gave her a kind little smile of understanding before nodding. Of all of them, Seladon had the most to lose if the drained were ultimately considered too large a burden to make the exodus.

"I think it's a good idea," Brea said in support of the idea. "The drained need no food or water provisions, so they won't be a strain on our supplies. We just need un-afflicted gelfling to man the ship and watch over the passengers. It can be done."

"My husband," said Seladon softly, "stays with me, wherever I go. He will not be on the transport vessel for the rest of the drained."

"Of course, Seladon," said Maudra Laesid kindly, sparing a motherly but pained smile for Seladon. "I don't think that was even in question."

Seladon took a deep breath, nodding. She would be sailing on the Sifan mother ship, the hub of their clan like Ha'rar was the hub of hers. Nothing less would be proper, and Vaurin's family would be joining them.

She started to mention crop reports to estimate how many provisions they would need to feed so many of their people, but then something happened. It began as a sort of tickle at the edge of her conscience, followed by a flood of wakefulness and confusion that wasn't her own. Seladon stared at the oval council table blankly, hardly believing what she was feeling.

Vaurin. It was coming from Vaurin. Her paladin was awake. Not just in a half-state, but _truly_ awake. It seemed impossible after the crushing disappointment they'd faced after watching him sup on his essence without any visible change in his condition. Impossible, yet undeniably real.

"Please excuse me," she said in a rush, standing up so quickly that it made her light-headed. She took a steadying breath, but she had no time for more. She was off as quickly as her slippered feet could carry her then, calling over her shoulder. "Continue the discussion without me! Something...urgent...has come up."

Seladon heard some of her companions speculating as she ran out of the chamber with impressive speed. Maudra Seethi's comment was nearly comical to Seladon, for some reason.

"Morning sickness? This late in the day and at this stage of her pregnancy?"

Seladon didn't pause to offer further explanation. Her other half was calling to her, desperate, afraid and confused.

* * *

"Now just what was _that_ all about?" Maudra Laesid said. "I hope the babe is all right."

Brea was worried too. Her sister had always been the very picture of grace and dignity in social settings. To see her act that way and rush off was bizarre to say the least.

"Please excuse me as well," Brea said, and she too got up and fled the chamber. She called out to her older sister as she followed the path she'd taken up the curving stairs to the middle level of the citadel.

"Seladon! What's the matter? Seladon?"

Brea had never seen her sister move this fast before. She was practically flying on her feet, and when she caught sight of Seladon's backside vanishing around the corner, she realized the All Maudra had released her wings to speed her egress. There wasn't enough space for her to take to the air in the corridors, but they were definitely speeding her along.

Brea followed her example so that she could keep up with her. She was truly worried that Seladon was ill, or maybe her grief was driving her over the edge. Brea realized where they were heading after ascending a curving flight of stairs to the upper levels. Seladon was going to the private chambers. Maybe she intended to lie down in her room for a while.

That wasn't where the All Maudra's trajectory ended up, though. Brea finally caught up with her to find her outside the smaller bedroom where they had been keeping Vaurin under guard. Seladon issued orders to the two paladins on duty outside the door, and they moved aside for her to enter.

A terrible fear struck Brea as she hurried to follow her older sibling. What if the seemingly hopeless situation with her husband had driven Seladon to a decision that there was no coming back from? Perhaps after realizing Vaurin couldn't be restored, Seladon came to the conclusion that she had to kill him to give him peace?

"Seladon," called Brea desperately after reaching the open doorway, "Wait! Whatever you're thinking, there are other ways to...to..."

Brea trailed off as she stepped through the portal and saw the All Maudra on her knees in the center of the bedroom, locked in a tight embrace with her prince. Vaurin was also on his knees, and he was trembling and panting. That in itself was odd; he had never exerted himself in his drained state before. Even more shocking to Brea were the ragged words she then heard tumbling out of the prince's mouth.

"So lost," gasped Vaurin into Seladon's shoulder. "I was...so lost. C-could hear your voice, feel your touch, but I couldn't call out to you. It was...like seeing you through a veil, so close but...so far away from me."

"It's all right now, my love," assured Seladon huskily, sniffling. She was stroking his hair over and over again, and she appeared to be trembling just as much as he was. "You came back to me. I felt it when it happened and came as quickly as I could!"

"I will never leave you again," he vowed, and then he pulled back a little to cup her face in his hands. Tears were trickling down his face, and he stared at Seladon as if she was the most precious sight in Thra. Vaurin kissed her then, and she tightened her embrace on him and kissed him back.

Now Brea was crying to, and she sniffed and wiped at her eyes. Standing on either side of her were the two paladins that had been guarding the door, and they were smiling with relief as they too witnessed the reunion between the royal couple. Hurried footsteps approached from the direction Seladon and Brea had come from, and soon Rian, the Librarian and the other Maudras were crowding into the room to see what was going on.

"Praise Thra," murmured Seethi in shocked tones. "He has recovered! But...how? I thought the All Maudra said that feeding him his essence had no effect on him!"

Brea considered the situation, mentally counting the days since Vaurin was given his flask.

"Maybe it isn't instantaneous," mused Brea aloud, still wiping tears from her cheeks. She looked to Rek'yr, who had come into the room behind the others. "They also used a different technique on Vaurin. Deet saw the entire process happen, and she said they drained Vaurin much more slowly than previous victims."

"It doesn't matter why the prince's recovery took so long," said the Librarian. "The important thing is that he's healed now, praise be to Thra. We should be thankful for that and give the All Maudra time alone with him."

The others agreed, and the crowd dispersed. Brea lingered behind a little longer than the others, so deeply moved by the sight of the reunited couple hugging each other so tightly and whispering words of love that she was reluctant to go. Eventually she too left, only able to imagine what both of them must be feeling right now.

* * *

For the longest time, they simply held each other and exchanged heartfelt kisses. Neither of them were aware of the little whimpers of relief and emotion that passed between them. The suns had sank lower in the sky by the time the couple collected themselves enough to break apart and talk about everything.

"How long?" Vaurin asked with wide eyes, his hand immediately going to Seladon's belly to examine the obvious state of advancement her condition had taken. "How long was I in that state, beloved?"

"Nearly two turns of the seasons," Seladon explained. "It was winter when they took you from me. It's now the middle of Summer. Our daughter is due to arrive when the leaves begin to fall from the trees again."

Vaurin shook his head, his eyes widening with disbelief. "To think, too much longer and I would have missed seeing her birth. How did you heal me?"

Seladon took a deep breath, and she filled him in on everything. She told him about the raid—which he vaguely recalled thanks to his partial awareness during his captivity—and she confessed to him the horrible reality of the choices she'd had to contemplate.

"Forgive me," she whispered brokenly to him. "I was placed in an impossible position, forced to choose between you and the safety of our people. For a while, even after our forces rescued you and the other drained from the pit, I thought we might have no choice but to leave you all behind for the sake of evacuating the 'living'. I…I…"

Vaurin took her into his arms and rocked her on the bed, kissing the crown of her head as he urged her to lay her cheek against his chest. "Shh, please don't. You acted as any wise leader should, Seladon. I wouldn't have wanted you to put me above all Gelfling, and I'm sure you knew that. I'm here now, and you no longer have to make such a terrible choice."

"I was dying inside, little by little," she confessed between hiccups. "Your mother was my anchor when I thought it was hopeless, Vaurin. I might have given up on you, if not for her."

"The burdens you were struggling with were greater than any single gelfling should ever be expected to handle," he excused. "Now dry your tears, love. There's nothing to forgive. You saved me, and now we know that it's possible to save some of the others, too."

Seladon went still, and she pulled back to look at him. "Vaurin, I think you misunderstand. The talk of orchestrating a direct attack on the castle is just that…_talk_. The only thing that's been finalized is the plan to evacuate as many of us as possible and start anew, out of Skeksis reach. It's the only option we have that won't lead to more losses. You understand that, don't you?"

"I do," he answered, "but surely we can give it one last try. Yes, reuniting the shard with the Crystal of Truth won't set everything right at this time, but we can still take what the Skeksis have stolen and set things right for some victims and their families. You said it yourself; we need to be as one. If we can save some of the other drain victims the way you've saved me, I think we should try."

It was too much for Seladon to contemplate right now. She'd just gotten him back, and she knew Vaurin was traumatized by his experience. She could feel it through the link they shared. He was haunted, shaken and confused. What was more than that, she could sense the quiet fury within him, though she was sure he was trying to mask that from her.

Seladon mentally compared the restored version of her husband to the gelfling he'd been before his ordeal, and she noticed that not all was as it used to be. Some of the streaks of color in his hair hadn't regained their vibrancy yet. He had more white in it than she remembered him having before. His youth and vitality seemed otherwise returned to him, though there were dark circles of fatigue around his expressive amber eyes. Despite that, those eyes were as bright as ever. His beloved face had filled out as well, and it shocked Seladon a bit that he had been gaunter than she'd realized.

"Let me think on it," she told him at last. "I see the worthiness of the attempt, and many Gelfling are willing to put their lives on the line once more for a final blow to the Skeksis. A feckless rush to battle isn't something I'm willing to support right now, though. We need to regroup, strategize and weigh all of the risks and rewards first."

The pulse of disappointment she felt from him made Seladon want to cringe, but beneath all of his emotions and determination, she felt his exhaustion acutely. She cupped his face in her hands, kissed him and did her best to reason with him.

"Vaurin, you've just practically come back from the dead. You need to recover your strength and wits, and _we_ need to forge more weapons against the Garthim. They are going to be needed, whether we move to liberate the remaining essence flasks or expedite the evacuation across the sea."

"Will the enemy wait that long, though?" His eyes were shadowed and haunted as they met hers.

"We won a great victory against them," reminded Seladon. "Of course we must be on our guard, but the Skeksis will need to recover from the blow we dealt. What happens next, I'm sorry to say, is going to be a race against time on all fronts."

He nodded, dropping his gaze. Seladon watched him with an aching heart, knowing in her soul that her husband wasn't just pushing the attack for the sake of taking back the stolen essence. She had the distinct feeling that Vaurin was thirsting for vengeance.

"I'll send for your mother and your brother," offered Seladon after a long silence stretched between them. "They're going to be so happy to hear the news! I'm almost tempted to host a celebration to—"

"Time enough for celebrations after we've succeeded in transporting all the clans safely to the new land," interrupted the paladin stonily. When Seladon gave him a torn, uncertain look, he softened his tone and his expression. He caressed her face, tracing her features with his fingertips as if memorizing them anew.

"I'll support you, no matter what decision you come to," he assured her softly. "No matter my personal desires, I know you have the better head for these things. I trust you, my Seladon."

His assurances meant more to her than she could express, and yet she couldn't bring herself to relax. Vaurin was the very definition of loyalty, both as a champion and as a partner. Even so, Seladon didn't think it was enough. He needed something from her that she wasn't sure she was prepared to give, but if she didn't grant it to him, she feared he would come to resent her later on.

* * *

Vaurin wasn't as quick to recover as he tried to let on. He'd regained most of his vitality back, true, but he still felt...well...drained. Like he couldn't quite get back all of the energy he'd once had before. He saw the change in himself whenever he looked at his reflection in the mirror. Perhaps it wasn't noticeable to most others, but he sensed his wife could see it too. While he hadn't gained any lines or wrinkles in his face, he felt older than his age. It was like they had taken some trine from his life expectancy when they'd drained him.

Vaurin persevered as well as he could, determined not to cause his wife any further heartache than she had already endured. His reunion with his family was full of tears, laughter and hugs. His mother and brother were now living in a cottage in the city with Baffi. Seladon had arranged it after the attack, he'd learned, because she didn't feel it was safe for them to return to the farm. Many farms had been destroyed in the garthim attack, but there were others still productive in surrounding lands.

He trained, pushing his body and mind to the limits in his efforts to get battle ready again. His fellow paladins treated him with great respect, remarking often on his strength of will and determination. Vaurin didn't feel very strong, and it was with some dry humor that he realized he was now experiencing something of what his wife had been living with for so long.

As for Seladon, he treated her with the utmost courtesy, tenderness and care. He attended all council meetings, gave his input when appropriate or asked, and supported her openly. Even so, their intimacy waned. She reached for him at night, and he refrained from doing more than cuddling and kissing with her. She was understanding about it when he told her he needed some time, but he wondered how long she would be content to accept that.

Inwardly, he was straining against invisible bonds, chomping at the bit, so to speak. He listened to the proposals laid forth, listened to the debates and endured being dragged into it. He was, after all, proof that drain victims could be restored. He tried to bide his time, silently hoping that with enough coaxing, Seladon would agree to strike one last time before they set sail.

The waiting made him restless, though. The frustration of inaction added an odd contrast to the hollowness inside of him, and Vaurin began to feel like the prospect of vengeance was the only thing keeping him going.

* * *

"I have decided to support the proposed attack on the Castle of the Crystal," announced Seladon to the council, just two weeks before they were due to begin loading Gelfling onto the first transport fleet. The entire chamber went utterly still. One could have heard a needle drop to the floor, the silence was so abrupt and complete.

Someone coughed, and then murmurs began. They escalated with excitement, until Maudra Laesid called out a reminder to everyone that the meeting wasn't yet concluded. When it hushed down, Seladon spoke in an even, authoritative tone of voice.

"I'm agreeing to this because the strategic scenarios some of you have been presenting to me were so carefully plotted out, and after deep consideration, I believe the attack plan is a sound one. The best we could come up with, in fact, and you all worked together as one to devise it. In addition, supply reports are satisfactory enough to provide enough weapons both for this endeavor, and to protect our people during the exodus to come."

Rian spoke up when Seladon finished. "We'll need to send word to SkekGra and UrGoh, then. It takes time for the latter to get anywhere, so they'll need to be on the move before we even mobilize."

Seladon's lip curled a bit, as she harbored some doubts concerning the eccentric outcasts' proposed role in this. "Are we certain they'll be of use?"

Rian smirked briefly, but he remained decisive. "All Maudra at this point, we could use every bit of help we can get. I can send someone to the cave they've been staying in nearby, SkekGra has been waiting for my word, so he'll get them moving immediately once he gets news."

Seladon nodded, at least willing to agree that every bit of assistance could prove valuable. "What of the rest? Have the Arathim cooperated with your requests?"

Laesid was the one to provide an answer to that question. "They've shared their knowledge of the tunnel networks with this lad here—" she gestured to Amri, who was sitting quietly near Deet, Rian and Naia. "—so he would need to be our guide. The Drenchen stand ready, All Maudra."

Seladon turned her attention to Maudra Seethi. "And the Dousan? Are you still resolved to the plan?"

"Our stance hasn't changed, All Maudra," answered the painted clan leader with a confident nod. "We know our part, and we are prepared. Your blessing was all that remained."

Seladon took a slow breath, met her younger sister's eyes for a moment. Brea's part in this would be brief compared to the rest, but particularly dangerous. She could see by the determined look on the little bookend's face that Brea wouldn't be deterred, however. That left one single but crucial piece to confirm on the playing field, and Seladon turned her stare to the seemingly meek, sweet natured Grottan maiden that had played such a massive part in all of this.

"Lady Deet," she said gravely, addressing the girl with respect, "you offer our greatest advantage, but you've taxed yourself so much already in service to us and to Thra. Are you willing and able to use your gifts this one last time to assist in this matter?"

"Oh yes, All Maudra," answered Deet urgently. She looked at her Stonewood prince beside her, who couldn't hide his misgivings completely. She reached out to place a hand over Rian's, leaving no doubts that they were indeed a couple. "At least this one, last time."

Rian visibly grimaced for a second, and then he nodded in agreement, staring into Deet's eyes. "One last time," he repeated.

"The Spriton will ride once more," called Maudra Mira when Seladon addressed her.

"The Sifa stand ready," stated Onica, who was standing in for Ethri while her clan focused on preparing the fleet. "Should the need to depart approach sooner than anticipated, we will defend the shore."

That was it. The clans were of one heart and mind on the matter. Vapran and Sifan involvement in the actual attack would be minimum due to their responsibilities in readying the fleet, but every clan would have a part to play.

At last, Seladon turned in her seat to look at the quiet, enigmatic redhead sitting to her right. Vaurin was dressed in uniform but for his hood, and he was watching her with a satisfied little gleam in his eyes. He gave her a slow, approving nod that spoke louder than words, and Seladon felt the pulse of anticipation coming from him through their bond.

Compulsively, she reached out to touch the hand that her husband had resting on the arm of his chair. The contact enabled silent dreamfast communication between them, though there had been times in the past before his abduction that she and Vaurin had managed such thought-speech without touching.

_"You've been waiting for this," _she told him.

He took his gaze off her, staring straight ahead. _"Yes."_

Seladon raised a brow, checking a frown. She couldn't sense anything more from him. Not joy, not satisfaction…not affection. The baby moved in her womb, and she placed her free hand over it, trying to draw comfort from her daughter. She couldn't help but feel like Rhue was picking up on Vaurin's lack of warmth or emotion as well, and she began to second-guess herself.

* * *

As night began to fall, Deet walked with Rian to the top of a hill overlooking the capital. Hand in hand, they traversed the path leading up to it. The sisters were in a half phase, but their light was bright at this hour as they climbed the early night sky. It was a clear night, warm and breezy. While Deet sometimes still found herself intimidated by the open sky during daylight hours, she truly enjoyed the night sky and all the stars it brought with it. The moons seemed more forgiving than the suns, with their softer, cooler radiance. Deet always felt more welcome beneath them than she did beneath the brothers.

"I think the timing is good," Rian said to her. He looked at her, and he slowed his steps. "For the attack, I mean. If the Skeksis are still plotting the raid on Stone in the Wood like you said, they won't suspect a thing until we're already in position to strike."

Deet nodded. Though she'd left off purifying the Darkening, she could still project her spirit out of her body to scout, spy on the enemy and check on the status of clan migration without taxing herself overly. It was during her most recent "visit" to the castle that she'd learned the Skeksis plans on where to strike next as punishment for the raid on their slave pit.

"I'm glad that Seladon took it seriously," she said. "I wasn't expecting her to agree to Brea's idea on how to use it to our advantage, though. I thought for sure she would insist on the total evacuation of Stone in the Wood."

"I was surprised too," admitted Rian. He looked around at the view with a little sigh, breathed in the night air and tilted his head back. The wind stirred his long, blue-green streaked hair, making him look quite dashing and princely to Deet's eyes.

"Seladon was so determined to avoid further battles before. After what happened to her husband, who could blame her? She was blessed to get him back."

Deet nodded. "She was. I'm so happy for them. Now she doesn't have to raise her baby alone. She won't have to lead alone, either."

Rian turned to her again, and he reached out to rub her shoulders. "Yes, that too. Having someone at your side to confide in and share thoughts with is important. I can appreciate that now more than ever before, and that's why I'm so grateful to you."

She felt warmth in her cheeks that had nothing to do with the summer temperatures. His words reminded her sharply that there was one way that was sure to lock them into a bond that would enable her to speak directly to him through thought, without fail. They'd been practicing, but the kind of communication clarity they really needed would take more time and effort than they had to spare.

"Rian, you know what we've been working on? Speaking to each other over distance, outside the dream space?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I just don't have your talent for things like that. I know you were hoping for more. I think it takes someone with a natural inclination for _vilyaya_, and I may just be a bit of a dud."

"You were just never taught," she excused. Deet nibbled her lower lip. "But…I was thinking there might be a way to enhance it. A sort of short cut."

"Oh really?" Rian glanced behind him to find his spacing, and he leaned back against the trunk of one of the trees shading the hill. "How can we do that?"

The Grottan maiden steeled herself, pushing back her misgivings. They had both already committed to what she was about to suggest, had both agreed it was what they wanted. All that remained was to act on it, and this was probably going to be their last chance to have enough time alone to do that.

Deet stepped away from Rian, and she willed her fingers not to tremble as she began to fumble with her clothing. She looked up at her companion from beneath wind-mussed, wispy pale fringe. Her fingers tangled in the laces of her dress when she started to loosen them, and she quickly shook them free and tried again. Eventually they came loose enough for her to slide the garment down over her shoulders. She gulped, pulled further and carefully eased the material past her wings. The dress fell to the grassy earth, leaving the Grottan in only her soft gray leggings and her worn traveling boots. She was almost nude, and she shivered despite the warmth in the air.

When Deet glanced up again, it was to the sight of her companion staring at her dumbly. Like he had no idea what she was doing and had never seen a female undress for him before. She knew that couldn't be the case, given what she knew of his last relationship. She knew he had his shy moments, but Deet had no romantic experience at all besides what she'd shared with him. Perhaps this was normal behavior from a male when one bared all to them, but it made her vastly self-conscious and unsure of herself.

"Rian, this isn't fair," she said at last, red in the face with embarrassment. "Are you just going to stand there?"

He shook his head, finally seeming to snap out of whatever daze he was in. The Stonewood prince stepped closer to her, looked her up and down and then took her into his arms. His body was warm and solid against hers as he embraced her, and he finally spoke, his ears swiveling back a little.

"Like I told you; I can be awkward with ladies. Of course I'm not going to just stand here."

"You acted like you've never seen a woman undress before," she said with a nervous little giggle.

"I've never seen _you_ undressed," corrected Rian. His smile was subtly tight, and his voice had dropped an octave. It sounded rougher and deeper than usual. "There's a big difference. Forgive me for wanting to stare at you for a bit."

He then closed in for a kiss, and it was much more intense than the way his previous kisses had started out. There was a rawness to it; an urgency that shook her already fractured composure, making her tremble. Her skin pebbled with gooseflesh from the thrill that went through her, and Deet put her arms around her companion's neck.

She felt herself sinking, going to her knees with Rian. He eased her onto her back. He was breathing heavily. They both were. Rian broke the kiss and stared down at her, his long, dark hair falling forward. The ends of it brushed against her skin, tickling it a little. Deet couldn't help but jump a little when the male's hands began to stroke her body. He paused, and his bright gaze met hers questioningly. Deet stilled herself and started to touch him back, silently encouraging him.

His palms were rough against her skin, but warm and gentle as they trekked over her body. Deet gasped when he cupped the small mounds of her breasts, surprised by the tingle she felt when he chafed her nipples lightly. Just as she caught her breath, she lost it again in a rush as a result of his fingers circling and teasing her nipples. Deet's eyes fluttered shut, and she parted her lips when he kissed her again.

Rian wedged a leg between her thighs, and she felt the part of him that most identified him as male pressing firmly against her. It felt hard as stone to her, but she detected a throb like a heartbeat from it. Curious, fascinated and nervous all at once, she stroked her hands over his body, her trajectory following her thoughts.

"Deet," he breathed against her lips when she gathered enough courage to touch that part of him.

"I'm sorry," she practically squeaked, startled. She started to pull her hand away, convinced that his exclamation was one of pain. "Did that hurt?"

Rian shook his head hastily, reaching down to put his hand over hers and stop her retreat. "Not a bit. Don't be afraid. It isn't going to break if you touch it."

She squeezed gently, molding her palm over the swell of his groin. It pulsed again beneath her hand, the thin barrier of his breeches doing little to conceal the shape and size of his assets. Deet wasn't completely ignorant about what went on when two gelfling joined. Her fathers had explained the facts of life to her as soon as she was old enough, and Deet even witnessed by accident the joining of two clan members once. She hadn't deliberately spied on the couple, but she came across their little hideaway while out gathering glow moss.

She remembered thinking it looked a bit painful, given the expressions on the couple's faces. That was her first impression, and coupled with the noises they were making she had no reason to believe otherwise. That was the day her fathers sat her down to explain the act of joining to her, because she'd come home confused and uneasy and confided in them about what she'd seen.

Now she would experience it herself for the first time, and she was both fearful and excited for the opportunity. Now she would see for herself what all the fuss was about. The alleged pleasure of the act would finally be hers to sample, but she'd been warned that there might be some pain at first.

Rian's mouth was traveling to other parts of her body, doing things to her that Deet wasn't prepared for, despite her parents' efforts to tell her what to expect. His tongue was wet and warm on her nipple, his lips silken and firm at once. Her back arched, her fingers tangled into his hair and she blurted a soft cry. He didn't stop his attentions; he only transferred them to the other breast.

Deet started to pull at his clothing, anxious to rid him of it and see more of him. He helped her, pausing his kisses to sit up and pull his shirt off. He then pushed his boots off, grunting in his haste to be rid of them.

When Rian's form was bared to her in full, it was Deet's turn to stare in mystification. She had seen nude males before, of course. Grottan often bathed together in the heated pools of the caverns, and there was nothing sexual about it. This was the first time she'd seen _Rian_ nude though, and she could now appreciate what he'd said about it being very different from gazing upon other gelfling.

"You're...beautiful," she told him honestly, letting her hands follow the path of her eyes. Lean, defined muscles, smooth and coppery skin, he was a feast for her eyes. There was a flush of green tint below his navel that matched the pigment shading his eyes. It started off a thin trail, widening further down where the fine dusting of dark hair framed his groin.

Fascinated, unaware until now that the green pigment unique to the Stonewood clan wasn't isolated to the brow area, Deet traced her fingertips over it. The length of Rian's arousal twitched, and she heard a sigh escape from him when she dared to touch that part of him. Deet looked up at Rian's face while she stroked him experimentally, watching the dazed expression spreading over his attractive features.

It must have felt good to him. Why else would he react the way he was? Her confidence grew, and she gripped him more firmly. Rian's hips began to pump slowly, keeping time with the motions of her hand. He moaned softly, and then his mouth sought out hers for another kiss. One of his hands slipped between her thighs, and a jolt went through Deet's body when those fingers started to knead and fondle her loins. He touched a spot there that made the Grottan's thighs twitch and tremble, and it was her turn to moan.

"Oh...ah...that's weird," she exclaimed.

Rian paused, searching her wide, startled eyes with his own. "In a good or bad way?"

"G-good," she gasped uncertainly. "I think. I've...never felt something like that before."

He smiled a little, and he resumed his fondling, more gently than before. "You've never touched yourself? I find that hard to believe. Every gelfling eventually starts exploring."

"Of course I've...touched myself," she huffed. "But...not like this. I...ah...R-Rian..."

"It's all right," he soothed. He planted soft kisses on her throat as she tilted her head back. "The feelings are nothing to be afraid of. Just tell me if it's too much, Deet."

It almost _was_ too much. Too intense for her to be still, at least. Even so, she didn't want him to stop. She squirmed helplessly, her breath catching. Her hands meandered over his form while he demonstrated what she'd been missing out on for so long. Now Deet understood those sounds she used to hear her fathers make late at night, when they secluded themselves to a private cubby in their tiny home after bed time. Her confused attempts to understand the things they'd explained to her about intimacy couldn't have prepared her for this.

Rian was breathing heavily, staring down at her as he positioned himself better on top of her. His weight pinned her down pleasantly, and Deet squeezed his shoulders urgently when he reached down to adjust himself. Her eyes went wide and a shocked gasp escaped her then, because his flesh was invading hers with a twinge of pain. Rian caught her hands in his, his eyes softening on her as he eased in with a firm little pump. Something sort of _popped_ inside, so quickly that Deet hardly had time to emit a complaint before it was over. The fullness made her groan, but the discomfort faded faster than expected. Rian was kissing her brow, her cheeks, her nose. Holding steady, he waited for a little while, and then he looked at her.

"Are you okay?"

Deet swallowed and nodded jerkily. She opened herself up spiritually to him, anxious to finalize their bond. Rian joined in the dreamfast, and soon it was hard to tell where he left off and she began. He started to move on top of her, hands and eyes locked with hers. Soft, husky moans sounded from his throat, and Deet echoed him. Now there was no pain and no uncertainty; she was right where she was meant to be, and she didn't want it to end.

Both gelfling lost track of time as they joined both physically and spiritually. The moons were descending and the first traces of light from the brothers began to paint the sky in an orange glow. The climactic ripples Deet experienced during the encounter became too numerous to count, and the pleasure was more than she could have imagined. By the time Rian threw his head back with a final shudder of release, they were both at the limits of their energy.

It was to the morning sounds of the waking gelfling city that the entwined, newly mated pair fell asleep to. Rian's hastily gathered cloak provided some cover as they snuggled up together and caught their breath, and he stroked her wild, tangled hair lovingly while the Grottan slipped into blissful dreams.

The last thing Deet thought before drifting into heavy sleep was that even if the Skeksis remained in power and she died soon, she could go to Thra a happy gelfling. Now she knew the incredible joy and contentment of being one with someone she loved so deeply.

* * *

While two clan representatives were reveling in their newfound union, another couple faced struggles that not even the anticipation of welcoming a new baby could salve. The marriage bed grew cold, and while Seladon kept telling herself to give Vaurin time, telling herself that he rejected her out of concern for the baby and not a lack of desire for her, she found it difficult to maintain confidence.

She tried to put her concerns to the wayside, as there were more important things to worry about than lack of physical intimacy with her husband. Things were being set into motion, SkekGra and UrGoh were on the move as planned, and gelfling clans were mobilizing for the final strike.

Kylan proposed that all participating in the battle to come should gather to meditate over the fires of prophecy. The initial plan was to bequeath the crystal shard to Mother Aughra for safe keeping, but arguments were made that even without the Great Conjunction, it was worth attempting to reunite the shard with the crystal during the fight. If nothing else, it might put a stop to further corruption and spread of the Darkening.

Rian volunteered to lead a force into the Chamber of the Crystal to make the attempt, with Deet as his guide. Seladon felt she had no choice but to permit the effort, because for good or ill, this would be their last act of defiance for several decades. It didn't escape her notice that something had changed between the Stonewood prince and his Grottan maiden, and it wasn't difficult to guess the source of it. She and Vaurin had looked at each other that way after pair bonding—like they were the only two gelfling in the world and all else faded into the background.

She envied their new bond, wished she and Vaurin could find their way back to that special place. Soon her younger sister would enjoy the same closeness with her Dousan suitor. By the time the clans settled in the new land and established the new society, Rhue might have a cousin on the way or already born. There was some comfort to be had in the thought of them all raising their childlings together, though Seladon was beginning to wonder if Rhue would end up being an only child.

The throne of the All Maudra felt lonely to Seladon as she discussed final plans with the council. The burden of leadership was inherently a lonely one, as she had come to expect, but having Vaurin at her side had lessened it somewhat, until now. He sat next to her as always, but gone was that warmth and support Seladon had come to depend on since their union. Vaurin listened to the discussions, offered his insights when appropriate, but was so dispassionate and...well...distracted. It was like he wasn't really completely there, like none of it could really touch him.

When he reached out to lay a hand over Seladon's during the conclusion of the final council meeting, it should have instilled a sense of encouragement and strength in her. She should have felt his spirit linking with hers, bolstering her confidence and passions. Instead, it was just a hand; warm and alive but no more than flesh and bone. Somehow her prince was withholding himself from her, and she still couldn't understand it.

Gurjin's warning echoed in Seladon's head as she tried to reconcile the aloofness she was getting from Vaurin. The Drenchen had said that any gelfling restored from being drained might not come back "right". He'd tried to describe the experience of having a part of ones self sucked out of them, the abysmal emptiness it caused. He'd only experienced it briefly, hadn't been completely drained like the others, but he claimed it was enough to change him inside, however subtly.

What if Vaurin would never again be the gelfling Seladon had come to know and love? The determined, dedicated and passionate male that courted her with such devotion and care? The half Sifan that would never give up, no matter the odds against him? Would this shadow that sat beside her now be all she had of her mate for the rest of their lives?

She could only pray to Thra that Vaurin would eventually come back to himself. If not now, then perhaps after the battle, when he'd had the opportunity to get some measure of vengeance on the creatures that did this to him. If that wasn't enough to set things right, then surely the birth of their daughter might re-ignite some spark of passion in him.

Seladon had to have faith. Her only other option was to drive herself mad wondering if in trying to save him, she'd doomed him to some sort of half life that he couldn't escape from.

* * *

-To be continued


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to hold off on publishing this chapter, but I figured with coronavirus situation we're all facing, people could use a dose of entertainment. Enjoy, and try to stay safe.

Kylan was right; meditating over the fires of prophecy had given their people a sense of peace, even as it confirmed that their civilization as they knew it would fall. With that knowledge came an encouraging message drifting in on the winds of fate: all things ended, but new beginnings brought blessings of their own.

It was unclear whether they would succeed in this fight or not. The prophetic dream shared by all participants only specified that Skeksis reign would end by Gelfling hand or none at all...and only when the three suns were aligned. That could be the next Great Conjunction or it might not happen for several more after. They knew they couldn't end the Skeksis by healing the crystal alone, so perhaps the damage already done to their lands would force them to migrate no matter what.

One thing was clear to all of them; winning or losing the battle wouldn't change the fate of their society. It was a somber knowledge they all now carried, and they shared it with others through dreamfasting until virtually every gelfling in the land knew the prophecy. In fact, the gathering of vilyaya energy from so many gelfling created a massive dream etching in one of the walls surrounding Stone in the Wood. The prophecy foretold by the fires got branded into the stone, creating what could only be described as a wall of prophecy. Perhaps several trine down the road, future generations might return to their original homelands and gaze upon that same prophecy themselves. It was an oddly heartening thought.

Now if only Seladon could feel so hopeful about her future with her life mate. She gazed across the bonfire at him, seeing the way Vaurin stayed apart from everyone else. He had his back against a glowhollow tree, and he was staring down at the wood-carved flute in his hands as if it could provide answers to the questions in his heart. Kylan had crafted that instrument for Vaurin. He'd started giving the paladin lessons it so that one day, Vaurin could play it for his children.

Sadly, Vaurin's abduction and draining happened before the Song Teller could give him more than a couple of those lessons. Now that Vaurin was restored, if not completely whole, Seladon wondered if they could ever get back what they'd lost. She knew that the struggle had changed the both of them. She wasn't foolish enough to think that restoring him would fix everything, but she remembered the passion they'd shared with a pang.

"Seladon?"

Prompted by her sister's inquisitive voice, the All Maudra tore her attention off of Vaurin to look at Brea. The younger Vapran was offering her a bowl of stew, probably fresh out of Kylan's pot.

"Here," said Brea, "you should eat. Please."

Not really hungry but aware that her body needed sustained nourishment, Seladon accepted the bowl and the wooden spoon with it. She nodded at her sister, and she stirred the soup to cool it. Seladon's gaze went to her husband across the way again. Now Vaurin had put away his woodwind instrument, and he was sharpening one of his boot knives with a wet stone. He did this with steady, methodical strokes, and his eyes were on the flames of the bonfire.

A tingle raced down Seladon's spine as a faint emotion that didn't belong to her reached through the bond with her mate. Was it rage she was feeling from him? Seladon used to know almost exactly what emotions her paladin were feeling, even if she couldn't read his mind. Now it was like trying to read any other gelfling, relying mostly on body language, facial expressions and guesses.

Seladon contemplated the note of discord she was picking up on, wondering what it meant. Of course Vaurin would be depressed, anxious and angry for a time. Six months of his life had been taken from him. He'd missed out on watching most of the progress as Seladon's pregnancy advanced. He'd missed the baby's first kick. Now he would be going off to war and afterwards, leaving the realm he grew up in to help build Gelfling civilization anew.

Of course he was angry. He _should_ be angry. What troubled Seladon the most was how quiet that anger was. Even she, his mate for life, could not detect more than a whiff of it. Vaurin neither expressed his feelings or spoke of them. It was as if he'd only come back whole for a short while after his essence healed him and woke him from his drained trance. His spark had been so bright at first, blinding even. The very next day, however, he began to withdraw. From friends, from family, even his own wife.

What could she do to help him? What did Vaurin need to feel complete again, to finish healing from his nightmarish ordeal? Seladon knew it wasn't a fault with the recovery process itself. Onica, Jeni and Mother Aughra had all assured her that Vaurin's spirit was whole and one again with his body. Whatever was causing this imbalance and detachment in him was of his own doing, whether on purpose or not. For whatever reason, he'd withdrawn from everyone on his own and if Seladon couldn't find a way to breach the walls around him, she feared their marriage would grow cold to the point of no return.

She ate without tasting it, chewing and swallowing mechanically. Perhaps _she_ was the cause. He'd been so bewildered by the sight of her this far along when he came too. Maybe he resented her for going on without him, expecting her to be held in a perfect state of limbo so they could pick up where they'd left off. It was a ridiculous notion, unreasonable and unfair, but she couldn't help but feel guilty.

Somewhere on the other side of the bonfire out of Seladon's view, Kylan had begun to play his fica. It was a powerful melody, ancient sounding. It stirred the blood, and as Seladon gave her empty bowl to a passing gelfling that was collecting dinnerware for washing, she heard others beginning to sing along with Kylan's melody. Deet was one of the first to add her vocals. Seated cross-legged on the ground under a nearby tree with Rian, she held hands with the Stonewood prince. They smiled at each other, and Rian began to sing with her.

Other gelfling couples began to cuddle close or hold hands as the melody went on. It wasn't just Seladon feeling it, she realized. Kylan's tune was rousing, quickening the pulse, bringing a sense of urgency and reminding the listener of the sweeter things in life.

Seladon smirked without humor as some couples got up together and left the community gathering area, going off to most likely revel in life by worshiping each others' bodies. Whether intended or not, Kylan's life renewing song was inspiring gelfling to mate. The All Maudra wondered how many childlings might be conceived this night, on the eve of her people's final stand against Skeksis. Some couples like Deet's two fathers couldn't naturally end up with offspring on the way as a result of their heightened urges, but some of the females going off with partners might surely end up with child.

Seladon only hoped the ones that would be participating in the battle would have the sense not to allow themselves to be receptive to their partners' seed, or else they'd be risking more than their own lives on the morrow.

The song was making Seladon feel lonely, reminding her of the distance between herself and her husband. Before his abduction, hearing a song like this would have roused such fires of passion in Vaurin. He'd been insatiable enough in the bedroom on his own, but having his male urges stirred up by a song or a mating dance would have turned him into a tornado of lust. Now he was...

...staring at her. Seladon had looked across the way at him again, and she was surprised to find his gaze locked onto her. There was a smoldering intensity in his eyes, the likes of which she hadn't seen from him since before the garthim took him. At last, Seladon could feel more than a subtle tingle of emotion from him. In fact, the feelings she was getting through the spirit connection were like a tide crashing over her. Vaurin's chest was rising and falling faster, and she thought she detected a slight tremble in his frame.

She was so unprepared for it that Seladon staggered a bit. She caught herself just as Vaurin dropped both his knife and his sharpening stone to the ground and strode across the clearing toward her. There was purpose in his steps and naked desire in his honey colored eyes. The orange and yellow flicker of the fire backlit him, emphasizing the various shades of red streaking his pale hair—save for that one area near his right temple that still remained bleached white from his ordeal.

Unsure of what to do, the All Maudra remained rooted to the spot. For a wild second, she considered the possibility that the Skeksis had done something else to him when they drained him, like implant a hypnotic suggestion to assassinate her if he got close enough. It was ridiculous of course; Vaurin would have done it by now if he had any intention of hurting her, consciously or otherwise. He just looked so focused and intense right now that it was almost a little frightening.

He also looked so dashing and handsome that it made her breathless, and it wasn't just fear making Seladon's heart race. Vaurin stopped before her, so close she could feel his hot breath on her face. He took her hand without explanation, eyes locked with hers, and he began to guide her out of the circle of light, towards the path leading away from the bonfire.

Seladon went with him, full of questions but unable to find her voice. She recognized the direction their steps were carrying them, and she had to quicken her pace to avoid being dragged. Another flash of suspicion and fear struck when they made it through the wooded area to the banks of the small lake she and her sisters used to play in. Did he mean to drown her?

"Vaurin, what—"

She never got to finish the question, because he'd turned around, backed her up against the trunk of a tree and kissed her ravenously. His hands cupped her face gently despite the urgency of his kiss, and his body pressed up against hers, slim and fit, hard and solid. The swell of her abdomen prevented full-length contact, but Seladon could distinctly feel the bulge of his arousal against her thigh.

Vaurin broke the kiss, breathing heavily, and he pressed his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry," he rasped. "You're afraid of me. I didn't mean to scare you."

"I just," she gasped, clutching at his shoulders. My, he'd gained more muscle tone back than she'd thought. "I don't understand. I thought...you were angry with me."

Vaurin pulled back to stare at her, still cupping her face in his hands. He shook his head back and forth slowly, and some of the lust in his handsome countenance faded to be replaced with gentle regret.

"For what? You _saved_ me, Seladon. Everyone has told me how determined you were, how cleverly you lured SkekZok into your trap. If not for you, I would probably be worse than dead by now."

"But...you've been so distant," she confided, finally letting herself confront the subject. "All I've been able to feel from you since the day you awoke has been momentary flashes of anger. I thought—"

"None of it was directed at you, my lady," he intervened. "Whatever feelings of anger you've sensed from me is for the Skeksis. No-one else...least of all you."

Seladon trembled with relief, and her vision started to blur with tears. "But I left you behind."

"I _made_ you leave me behind, remember?" He smiled a little, painfully. His fingers wiped away the teardrops that spilled from her eyes. "If you had stayed, you'd have been caught as well. I couldn't have that. No more self-blame, my love. You couldn't have stopped them from taking me, but you _did_ bring me back."

He started to kiss her again, more gently this time. Seladon responded, and she spoke to him between kisses. "Why have you been so withdrawn?"

Vaurin paused again to draw back. There was a throb of pain radiating through their link, followed by love so fierce it made Seladon's knees weak. "I wanted to protect you, and our daughter. This rage inside of me...I don't want you to feel it. It's an ugly thing, poisonous like fouled bog water. It makes me ill sometimes when it's at its strongest."

Vaurin shrugged and sighed. "So I've kept myself at a distance, same as I would if I were sick with something contagious. It's not for lack of wanting or loving you, Seladon. If anything, my love is what drives me to conceal my feelings as best I can."

"Don't," she insisted firmly, tugging at a lock of his hair, "do that anymore. Do you understand me, Vaurin? You are my mate, my partner for life. We _share_ our struggles, no matter how painful. You can't expect to heal from this on your own. I won't let you isolate yourself from me. Not anymore."

He winced, both from having his hair pulled and from the sting of her admonishment. A crooked grin curved his lips, so like the ones he used to favor her with. "As you wish, my fierce, brave, beautiful wife. No more hiding."

He lowered his gaze and softened his voice. "But it's going to hurt, these feelings I get. They're...unwholesome. Like the Darkening." He lifted his gaze to meet hers searchingly. "What if our daughter feels them as well?"

Seladon hesitated. She wasn't willing to leave her paladin to fight these demons alone, though. "You must give me the chance to experience them, Vaurin. Only then can I determine if it's too much for our childling."

"Even if it isn't," he reasoned, "she may be born with rage in her heart for the experience."

"If she comes into this world with an innate mistrust and disdain for Skeksis," said the All Maudra fiercely, "then so much the better. If only we'd all had such foresight to see through their lies from the beginning. The way I see it, we would be giving her a gift. Rhue will never fall for their trickery, nor believe in their false promises. It's an advantage, I think, and it may forge her into the greatest All Maudra of our time."

His ears swiveled as he considered her words, and he nodded. He bore a solemn expression on his face as he spoke in a low, passionate voice to her. "You are the most amazing woman in all of Thra, Seladon. You somehow manage to take every barb hurled at you by the enemy and craft it into a weapon against them. Not that I think of our daughter as a weapon, but I think you're right. If my rage can armor her for any future conflicts with their lot, it would be to her advantage."

He embraced her, and he nuzzled her temple. "I can't promise to be the husband I was before. Not right away. It's going to take time for me to find my way again, and I hope you'll be patient with me."

"I understand," she assured him. She put her arms around his waist and held him close, so grateful to have him in such an intimate embrace again. He was spice and earth and sea, a delightful blend of scents unique to Vaurin. "We'll face it together, my love. You and I. With time, we can heal one another...just as before. You never gave up on me, and I won't give up on you."

She felt him smile against her hair at the reminder of how he'd courted her in the beginning, back when Seladon was so broken and traumatized.

"I love you," Vaurin whispered.

"And I you," returned Seladon.

She reached up to stroke his hair as his lips began to press soft, fluttering kisses along her neck. She sighed, turning her head to give him greater access. Now that the air had been cleared and the wound lanced, other more primal feelings were again rising to the surface. The singing and pipe music could still be heard in the distance, reaching them even here in the shelter of the trees. Seladon gasped when her husband nipped at her ear, following up with a gentle lick.

"I want you," she sighed, one hand sliding down over his chest. She toyed with the laces of his shirt, then progressed further to his scabbard and belt. She cupped him between the thighs, feeling his hardness beneath the soft leathers he wore.

"Can we?" whispered Vaurin huskily, rubbing himself against her hand impulsively. "Is it...safe right now?"

"So long as you put no weight on me," she assured.

Vaurin was a creative gelfling when it came to lovemaking. He'd introduced Seladon to sexual positions she never would have considered, so her reassurance was all he needed. He pulled her away from the tree, locked mouths with hers and started unlacing the top of her dress with hurried eagerness. Seladon in return began working on his clothes, tugging his shirt out of his pants and slipping her hands up under it to feel the hard ridges of muscles beneath.

Her paladin had certainly been training himself hard for this battle, she confirmed. She hadn't touched him so intimately since before his restoration was complete. Bathing him in his drained condition had been very different from this. While he hadn't been as wasted away as the other drained ones, Vaurin had lost much of his muscle tone and strength. Now it was all back, and she appreciated every ripple her fingers encountered.

Their hands moved faster as their breath quickened, the link between them spurring their mutual desire on. They sank to the grass together, and Vaurin's belt and scabbard landed a short distance away. Seladon's undergarments soon joined them, tossed a little further to dangle on a bush. The rustle of clothes grew louder as the couple's urgency escalated. The All Maudra's chain and amethyst belt joined the pile.

Vaurin eased Seladon onto her back, pushing her dress up until it was bunched around her waist. He sat back on his heels between her thighs, staring down at her. Seladon was sure she looked a wanton mess now, with the top of her dress laid open to expose her swollen breasts, her legs spread with bent knees, her lace up boots still covering her feet and calves. She had spread her wings out as she laid back, just for him. Vaurin evidently appreciated it, and Seladon could see herself reflected in his eyes; a moon-touched, fey goddess spread out and waiting for his flesh to join hers.

"There could be," husked the Sifa/Vapra mixed paladin, sliding his palms along the outer swell of Seladon's breasts, "no sight in Thra more lovely than this. To this day, I wonder what I did to deserve such a woman."

His words made a flush rise in her face, made her feel hot and giddy at once. Her Vaurin had always had a gift for pillow talk, even when he slipped up and used Sifan vulgarities in his excitement. Seladon's eyes fluttered closed when he placed his hands on her bare knees and then slowly, sensually slid them up her thighs. She could feel the calluses on his palms from handling the blades, and the roughness of them made her more excited.

"Vaurin," she called softly, urgently. She stroked her hands over his, then up his forearms. She gripped his biceps appreciatively, feeling the solidness of them.

"I'm practically bursting in my pants," he gasped, finding the shadowed flesh of her loins with his fingers, "but I won't be a brute with you. Not now, when it's been so long."

Seladon spread her thighs further for him, biting back a whimper when the pads of his fingers found her and started to stroke, press and fondle. She tensed with a little whimper as he thrummed the glans of her loins, refreshing her memory of how very good he was at pleasuring her. Her body remembered well too, and it began to shudder helplessly beneath his attentions. With his other hand, Vaurin teased her breasts one at a time, rubbing the nipples and cupping the swell of them.

"Are they tender?" he asked softly.

Seladon cracked her eyes open to see him gazing down at her, his magenta-streaked hair falling forward around his shadowed face. Two of the sister moons hung above his head like a halo, with the third hidden from view. She nodded.

"A bit, but not so much that you'll hurt me by touching them. Oh...oh, Vaurin!"

He'd slipped his first finger into her moist entrance while she was answering the question, deftly filling her deep with it while his thumb continued to press and rub the swollen nubbin on the outside. She hadn't been prepared for how it felt to be penetrated by him again, even with a finger. Seladon rotated her hips and panted, her fingers curling against the earth and ripping up a handful of grass.

"So eager," purred Vaurin, watching her with that blatantly erotic stare. "Hot, wet...utterly glorious. Just feeling you pulsing around me like this almost makes me come, Seladon."

She blinked, her pleasure momentarily stalled by confusion. He'd taught her some interesting terms in the past, but that was a new one. "Come where? Wh-what do you mean?"

At once, her prince blushed and there was a brief surge of mortification coming through their bond from him. "Ah, it doesn't mean I'm literally going anywhere, love. It's a...slang term for...um...arriving. Please forget you heard me utter such vulgarity. I don't want to ruin the mood."

Seladon didn't think it sounded particularly vulgar. Just strange. Then again, to come and to arrive were basically the same thing, so the newness of the word was all that made it seem odd to her.

"It didn't ruin anything," she assured him, unable to stop herself from smiling. "Look at you blush. You are so cute."

"As long as you don't think I'm filthy," he sighed, smiling back.

"Oh, you are though," she teased. She moaned a little as his finger began to thrust inside of her. "Filthy Sifa boy, but in the best ways."

"If I had the patience to wait," he told her, shifting restlessly, "I'd show you just how filthy I can be. Damn, Seladon...I want to put my mouth on you, but I don't know if I can last long enough to—"

"Then don't wait," she urged, unfazed by his use of profanity and just as desperate to be joined with him. "Time enough for that later, after you return safely to me from the battle. Come to me now, my love."

Under other circumstances, Vaurin might have defied her and kept going with his love play until he brought her to completion. His need was greater than his willpower though, and he withdrew his touch to fumble with his breeches. Seladon reached down as much as she could, between her spread thighs toward her husband. She saw his arousal in the moonlight, jutting out from under the hem of his shirt as it was freed from his pants. She curled her fingers around it, feeling its warmth and thickness in her hand.

"Unh...my lady," groaned Vaurin, pausing in the act of pushing his pants down far enough to keep them out of the way. He tilted his head back and made another sound of pleasure in his throat when Seladon stroked his length slowly. "Thra, your touch is life to me. C-careful, darling. I'm hanging on by a thread as it is."

Reluctantly, Seladon released him. By the mercy of Thra, they would both have the chance to conduct other lovemaking activities together, even if in a strange new land. Vaurin gasped as she let go of him, and he sat back on his haunches between her thighs, positioning himself with care. He met her eyes as he pressed the tip of his arousal against her, possibly gauging her reactions.

Vaurin nudged into her, released the base of his length and cupped her hips in his hands. He pulled her into it, sliding deeper inside of her with a strained look on his handsome face.

It felt like he was going to pierce her all the way through. It had been that long since she'd felt him inside of her that Seladon had forgotten how deep he could go before being fully seated. She welcomed the ache, needed it. She was tight around him, and Vaurin grunted as he too noticed the narrow fit. He stopped when he was in to the hilt, panting softly and closing his eyes.

"Thra...it's almost painful," he blurted. "Has it...been so long?"

"Don't stop, my love," she begged, reaching for the hands gripping her hips and squeezing them encouragingly. She only wished they could be closer than this, but her belly wouldn't allow him to lay full length on top of her.

Vaurin began to thrust slowly at first, but he picked up speed with each pump of his hips. His groans became low cries and his body broke into a sweat of exertion. The sounds he was making were as sweet as Seladon remembered, and that look on his face right now was exactly what she'd been missing so much. He was so erotic to watch when his passion reached these heights. Gone was the fear from earlier. Now there was pleasure, blended with need in his expression.

"Sel...adon," he moaned, squeezing her hips. His skin slapped against hers, his arousal driving into her sharply.

"Yes," she whimpered, just as needful as he was. "Uhhh...ooohhh! Vaurin! My Vaurin!"

He'd changed his technique suddenly, filling her to the hilt and rolling his pelvis in a circular motion to massage her inside. It caused jolts of sensation that felt a little like a need to urinate, but pleasurable and more intense. Vaurin always had a way of finding that little spot inside of her that made her orgasms seem to go on forever.

So much for her concerns that his ordeal might have sapped her husband's prowess. He kept using that undulating rotation, and he let go of her right hip to fondle her with his fingers. He was peering down at her with half-lidded eyes, his breath huffing rapidly between parted lips. The stimulation of his fingers combined with the motions of his hips quickly intensified the pleasure, built it up like a geyser.

Seladon heard herself call his name one last time, the sound coming out of her like an eruption. Her cry became uneven and broken as Vaurin switched his rhythm again and started ramming into her urgently. There was a wildness to him that she had only seen before when they were trying to conceive Rhue. This time, however, she couldn't blame it on her pheromones sending him into a mating frenzy. His vigor was born of something else.

His hips snapped two, three, four more times and then he was pulsing inside of her, head thrown back and body taut. He gave so much of himself that she couldn't contain all of it, and some of it overflowed. He twitched again, gasping, and then his tension ebbed.

Vaurin opened his eyes to look down at her, panting and flushed. He seemed dazed by the experience, and then his face took on a worried expression.

"Sorry," he wheezed. "I'm so sorry."

"For what?" asked Seladon, just as gratified and out of breath.

"Being so rough with you." Vaurin pulled out of her carefully, wincing a little. "I'm going...to have bruises and I'm sure...you will too. Oh Seladon, what have I done?"

"You loved me like no other possibly could," she told him simply, ignoring the burn between her thighs. "Fiercely, urgently. Just how we both needed it."

He looked her up and down, and he dragged his bangs out of his eyes. "But...the baby. Is she all right?"

"Beloved, I would tell you so immediately if I felt there was anything wrong. Come lie down with me. Hold me."

Still gasping and trembling a bit, Vaurin did as she asked. He looked so guilty right now; boyish, even. Seladon put an arm around him and snuggled as close as she could to him. "You should see your face. Like a childling awaiting a scolding."

"I went a little mad," he confessed. He ran a hand down her back, kneading softly with his fingers.

Seladon was just now becoming aware of the dampness seeping through her disarranged clothes. The grass was wet with dew from the lake, a thing she had failed to notice before. While the weather was warmer now, she could still catch a chill if they lay there all night like this, and so could Vaurin.

"We should straighten up our clothes and retire to our chamber," she suggested, even as she was loathe to break contact with him. "You need all the rest you can get if you're to be at your best tomorrow."

"Yes," he agreed. He took advantage of the state of her gown and slipped a hand up underneath to rest it skin-on skin over her womb. He met her gaze, his fringe falling partway over his eyes. He suddenly went still and so did Seladon, for in that moment, there was a flutter of activity beneath Vaurin's hand.

"Did you feel?" he gasped, eyes wide with wonder.

Seladon nodded. It wasn't the first time she'd felt her childling move, but it had always been subtle. This time, it was much more noticeable.

"She kicked," said Seladon with a smile. "She must recognize your touch, Vaurin. Your daughter is saying hello to you."

His grin took to his ears as his gaze dropped to the All Maudra's belly. He rubbed it gently, and he scooted down so that he was level with it.

"Rhue," said the Paladin, "it's your Father. I can't wait to meet you, little one. I want you to know that you are loved and cherished, and come what may, your Mother and I will never, ever leave you. Don't ever be afraid of that, and if you feel my anger now and then, it's also nothing to fear. Be kind to your mother, will you? Try not to fight her when the time comes for her to bring you into this world. You have so many wonders to look forward to, sweet girl."

Seladon was nearly overcome with emotion, listening to his loving words to their baby. Some of it sounded like a goodbye, but Seladon wouldn't admonish him for that. No matter how confident he was in his abilities or how much faith she had in him, both of them knew that there was no guarantee he would return from this final stand. Many Gelfling would not, and that was the price to pay for freedom.

Vaurin looked up from her tummy, searching her face with his eyes. Seladon saw and felt the uncertainty, and she knew what triggered it before he even spoke.

"I should stay," he told her, the words dragging out of him with resistance. "I can't leave your side now."

Seladon agreed with him in part, but there was something even more important to his participation in this fight than the help his skills would bring to the table. She combed her fingers through his soft hair, aching with the burden of doing the right thing, rather than serving her own desires.

"Can you say with all honesty that facing him won't bring you the closure you need?" she asked, vision again blurring with tears. "Can you heal without avenging yourself, Vaurin?"

His gaze wavered, and then his eyes too filled with tears, he bowed his head, ears drooping. It was answer enough for her.

"You must go," whispered Seladon, sniffing. "If you don't, you'll suffer doubts and regrets that I won't be able to mend for you. SkekZok is the embodiment of all this darkness you're facing, my love. He not only robbed you of your essence and free will, but your dignity."

"But...what if facing him again, possibly even killing him, doesn't change anything?" asked the prince, lifting his head to meet her eyes again.

He looked so tired now, so haunted. Seladon caressed his face, and she had only one piece of advice left to offer him. "Then at least you'll know. You can move on with the assurance that you did what you needed to do, and that in itself is healing."

He tilted his head, and his tears dried. "Have you been spending a lot of time with the Sifa? You almost sound like a soothsayer."

Seladon forced a smirk, resolved in her decision to let him do what was necessary, even if it might mean his death. "I may have learned some things from your mother. And from you."

* * *

To say that the Emperor was displeased with the latest news brought to him would have been an understatement. SkekZok informed him of what his crystal bats had witnessed in their latest surveillance, and it sent the entire council chamber into startled debate.

"Leave?" said the Chamberlain, aghast. "Where can the gelfling possibly go? Must be some mistake!"

"The images I witnessed reflected in the crystal were clear," insisted the Ritual Master. "The Silver Coast is all but covered with ships. More than the Sifa have ever sailed before. They await on the water, and gelfling are loading them full of supplies. If their goal isn't to flee our shores, what else could possibly explain it?"

"How many clans did you see in the visions?" pressed the Emperor tightly. "Were they amassed?"

"I recognized mostly Sifan," explained SkekZok. "There were some Vapra amongst them. The bats also bore witness to several groups traveling to the coast on foot from various clans."

"It sounds as though they truly intend to migrate," mused SkekTek. "All of them, I wonder? Or just a select few?"

"It doesn't matter," stated SkekSo. "Even the loss of one or two clans is too great for us. We cannot allow them to leave these shores! They...they cannot..."

The Emperor began to cough and hack, causing the other Skeksis to exchanged looks ranging from concern to calculating thought. The Darkening had taken a toll on SkekSo that became more obvious with each passing day, and it was anyone's guess who would take up the scepter in his steed when his health finally deteriorated to the point where he would no longer be able to lead.

"We shouldn't wait," suggested the Garthim Master. "We should send Garthim immediately, capture as many as we can for harvest."

"Yes," agreed SkekAyuk readily, always most eager to get his hands on gelfling essence. "Maybe we can cripple their plans to evacuate, if that's what they're attempting to do. The sooner we strike, the better. Podling essence won't be enough to sustain us if Gelfling leave beyond our reach."

"Ritual Master, I want you to send your bats to spy on Stone in the Wood," decided SkekSo after recovering from his coughing fit. "We will strike there first. Send out all Garthim and scour the land. I want every Gelfling possible rounded up for draining. No stopping until every cage is full and every flask in our storage is filled."

"But Sire," SkekTek interjected hesitantly, "is it wise for us to send _all_ our garthim away for this endeavor? We risk leaving ourselves vulnerable to attack—"

"Gelfling won't come here," scoffed the Emperor disdainfully. "They learned a hard lesson the first time they dared to attempt to take this castle."

"True," stated the Chamberlain, "but did not stop them from raiding slave pen."

"He does make a valid point, my lord," urged SkekZok, still mourning his personal loss of his favorite pet and the essence he'd planned to save for himself. "If they were bold enough to attack our storage facility to take the drained from us, it stands to reason that they might make another attempt on the castle."

SkekTek nodded. "While they appear to be attempting evacuation, Gelfling have already proven to be more cunning than we've given them credit for. I suggest we leave at least a small number of Garthim here in the castle during the harvest efforts, just to be safe."

Other Skeksis argued their opinions on the matter. Most of them disagreed that the gelfling would try to attack the castle after the disaster they'd faced the previous time. Others like the Scientist, the Chamberlain and the Ritual Master insisted that appearances could be deceiving and, knowing the Skeksis had winged spies at their disposal, could be deliberately creating a ruse with the fleet of vessels at the shoreline.

"I would not underestimate the All Maudra again," advised SkekZok in closing. "She's already demonstrated a willingness to resort to underhanded tactics. Please consider things carefully before emptying the castle of all guards, Emperor."

SkekSo grunted and waved an irritable claw. "Very well, very well. A handful of Garthim will remain here for now, since some of you are so fearful of another uprising. The rest are to collect gelfling from dawn to dusk, starting now. Once we've finished with Stone in the Wood, we'll concentrate on the shore. Let's see how far these vermin can get with their crews captured and their ships destroyed. Ritual Master; come with me to the Crystal Chamber. Send your bats out again so that we can determine the most ideal method of assault."

"Yes, Sire," agreed SkekZok. He exchanged a faintly doubtful look with the Scientist, quietly worried that things were being done too hastily and conclusions being jumped to without enough information. SkekSo was Emperor though, and his word was law.

* * *

Swift, delicate feet sprinted over the earth, and the labored, anxious breathing of a female kept rhythm with her footsteps. Wrapped in a concealing grayish cloak, clutching a small bundle to her chest, she looked over her shoulder at her pursuit. It was working, albeit a little _too_ well. The enemy was locked onto her, lumbering after her with fixated interest. This was as she intended it to be, but the question remained if she could elude the monstrosities long enough to reach the appointed location.

She jumped over a fallen branch, avoiding the swipe of a huge pincher, only to practically run face-to-face with another garthim that came crashing out of the undergrowth ahead of her. The Vapran lady gasped, ducked away from the new threat's attempt to capture her, and changed directions. She was moving away from where she was supposed to be leading the enemy now, but she had no choice in the matter. She had presented herself as the perfect target to them; a lone gelfling burdened with an infant, by all appearances.

Little did the beasts pursuing her know that she wasn't as helpless or vulnerable as she appeared, and even if they should catch her, they weren't going to be getting two prizes in one.

* * *

"Get her! Catch that little bug!"

SkekOk's enthusiasm was contagious. The others in the chamber cheered along with him, watching the image projected to them through the crystal as the female gelfling dodged and weaved through the forest. The Garthim were closing in on her, and SkekOk had caught a brief glimpse of her face and confirmed that it was Princess Brea.

"I'll have your essence, clever one," he crowed. "Soon! Very, very soon!"

As if his words inspired truth, the hapless gelfling in the vision tripped and fell. She crawled to a hollow log, stashed her bundle inside of it and then got snatched up while the Scroll Keeper jeered in triumph. She struggled in the grip of the creature of course, but was soon dropped into the holding basket with several other villagers that had shared her fate earlier. So far it looked as though the garthim had rounded up nearly half the population of Stone in the Wood. It was a good start.

"What was the princess doing there?" mused the Slave Master. "I thought she was Vapran."

"These conspirators have been traveling to and fro for months now," explained SkekLach with a wave of her claw. "Plotting amongst themselves and sharing information. It doesn't surprise me that the princess was with the Stonewood."

"Either way, she's ours now," stated SkekSo smugly. "Just as her arrogant sister will be. Hmm, I wonder what happens to a gelfling in her condition when drained?"

"Might get extra from her," suggested Chamberlain with a shrug. "Unborn child might provide essence of its own."

When SkekTek frowned at him, the Chamberlain put a claw over his heart in an innocent gesture. "What? I only speculate."

"We would be better served to save the All Maudra for last," said the Scientist. "Wait until after her young is born. Let it grow big enough to be of some use. I keep saying we should leave some undrained to breed, so we have future harvests."

"Be that as it may," said the Emperor, "we can decide on such matters after we've rounded up every gelfling possible. No more free reign for their kind. All must be under our direct control from this day forward, and...and...wait. Something is wrong. Why has the crystal gone dark?"

All Skeksis looked at the crystal to see what their leader was talking about, and just as SkekSo said, the image was gone from the prismatic surface, leaving it blank. SkekZok frowned and checked his staff of command.

"I cannot explain this," he said after a moment. "The bats are still active. I haven't sensed any losses, but we aren't getting images fed back now."

For long, tense moments the Skeksis stared at the Dark Crystal, waiting for something to happen. At last, an image formed again. The garthim were heading away from Stone in the Wood now, laden with captured gelfling to the point where they could fit no more of them in their woven holding cages.

"Ah, here we are," said SkekZok in satisfaction, gesturing at the crystal. "It seems the first harvest is now on its way back. A minor setback, and nothing more."

"Hmm," mused the Chamberlain, watching the crystal with interest. "That has never happened before."

"There's still much work to be done before our creations are perfected," excused SkekTek. "Whatever the cause of the lapse, it's corrected now and the raid is a success. I can make adjustments to the energy calibrations after our pets return."

That seemed to satisfy everyone, and no more was spoken about it. As soon as the garthim returned with this batch, they would be sent out again. Whatever the Gelfling were trying to do with the massive fleet they had waiting on the shore was certainly doomed to failure now.

* * *

"All right, Deet has blocked the link between the bats and the crystal again," announced Rian to the gathered warriors. "Quickly now, while we have time."

They all took advantage of the garthim's currently stunned state, and the armed warriors quickly opened up the cages on the creatures' backs to let the captured civilians out. This being done, they climbed up inside the cages themselves while Kylan and his group led the villagers away to safety.

"Kylan," called Rian, "as soon as you get them underground, let Naia and Gurjin know to get their group moving."

"Right away," promised Kylan. He took a visible breath before turning his back on Rian and the other warriors now situated inside the cages. "Thra be with you all."

"And with you." Rian looked around at the others crowded into the cage with him, including Brea. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, slipping her hood down and checking her blade to be sure she hadn't lost it. "I'm fine, if a little terrified. How will we know when Deet's ready for the next step?"

"She'll tell me," answered Rian, tapping his head. "In fact, hold on. She's releasing them now."

The garthim that served as their unwitting ride lurched into motion, causing several "caged" gelfling to hastily brace themselves. Rian drew a deep breath, much as Kylan had, and he smiled at his fellow warriors.

"This is it. With any luck, our timing will be just right and the rest of our forces will be waiting to join in by the time we reach the castle. Skeksis won't expect their intended victims to jump out of these cages fully armed and ready for them."

As for Deet, she was with Vaurin's group along with Hup and Lore. Their mission would be to come in last and raid the essence storage while the enemy was busy fighting against the first wave. Vaurin had wanted to be in the front lines, but Rian convinced him otherwise after much arguing. Truthfully, Rian feared the Prince's judgment was impaired and despite his physical recovery, he might not be at full mental strength. It was also his way of trying to protect Vaurin and decrease the chance of Seladon coming out of this a widow.

Of course, the most crucial factor in getting through this with as few losses as possible depended on everyone's ability to do their part and improvise when needed. That would be the true test.

* * *

-To be continued


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the wait. I've been feeling uninspired lately, and even proofreading chapters I've finished comes sluggishly. I hope everyone enjoys this new chapter and it provides some entertainment. Please stay safe out there. Oh, and we should all try to stream Age of Resistance on Netflix whenever possible! If we keep it trending long enough, the chances of a second season are better! ;-)

SkekSo peered through the spyglass on the balcony overlooking the territory, and a perplexed scowl marked his features. The sentry bats had seen the two unexpected visitors coming and the Garthim on watch quickly shuffled to block the trespassers from entering the castle. It wouldn't be the first time this pair had approached to peddle their theories and plead their case, but SkekSo had entertained the hope not to deal with them again.

"What are they doing?" he mused. UrGoh had begun to sing in his deep, baritone hum and SkekGra was dancing around in place, tapping that noisy thing on his head.

SkekEkt came up behind the Emperor, having joined him on the balcony when the crystal alarmed them of the intruders. She leaned over the railing and lifted her magnifying spectacles for a better look.

"Those fools are too far gone to see reason," she announced disdainfully. "We should send them away."

SkekSo stroked his chin, just as curious about the unexpected visit as he was annoyed. "I will address this personally. I want to hear what their excuse is, and then perhaps I'll rid us of them permanently. Fetch Chamberlain and SkekUng to accompany me down to the entrance."

The Collector hastened to comply with the order, and SkekSo went to his chamber to tidy up a bit before traversing the corridors down to the great hall and the main entrance. SkekSil and SkekUng were already awaiting him, along with the rest of their brethren, minus SkekZok. The Emperor gestured to his companions meaningfully, commanding the Garthim Master and the Chamberlain to join him.

SkekUng silently commanded the garthim at the entrance to step aside as the trio came out onto the bridge. The sky was overcast and the wind was hot and dry. The Emperor's robes fluttered as he raised his arms in a cease gesture to stop the ruckus caused by the eccentric outcasts.

"Enough of this," he insisted, spearing them each in turn with a glare. "You will explain the meaning of this swiftly, or I'll have you both ripped limb from limb."

SkekGra stopped, and when his companion continued to sing, he nudged him to silence with his staff. The Mystic ceased with a mildly startled look, and then he regarded the trio of Skeksis standing before them.

"We...have come...with..."

"An offer," finished SkekGra for him impatiently. He cleared his throat and tapped his chest with a fisted claw. "Yes, yes. We come with an offer for you! The opera was simply our greeting."

SkekSo and his companions looked between one another. He had some vague recollection of operas, but it was a distant memory; more like a dream, really. He smirked and heaved a dry, humorless chuckle.

"What you have to offer," he said, "we have no need of. There's nothing that a pair of mad outcasts can bring to the table that I would find useful."

"We know what Gelfling have in store," said SkekGra succinctly. "All their plans. Everything. We're prepared to share this knowledge with you."

Chamberlain slinked closer to the Emperor and whispered in his sibilant voice. "Sire, Ritual Master did say Crystal Bats witnessed these two traveling to Ha'rar. Also saw them approach Mother Augra's home. Could be they speak true?"

SkekSo had already considered that, otherwise he would have ordered the garthim to eliminate the interlopers the moment he spotted them. SkekGra and UrGoh had some sort of plan, insane though it might be. He studied the two of them in thought.

"And what would you ask in return for this information? What have you to gain from the betrayal of your little friends?"

"An...end to...exile," answered UrGoh slowly.

"Yes," agreed SkekGra. "We want to be a part of your community. At least until the Great Conjunction, and what may be after that will be."

Chamberlain narrowed his eyes at them. "Why not go to the UrRuh? Why Skeksis?"

"We have nothing to offer the UrRuh," explained SkekGra, "and besides, living with that lot would bore me out of what little sanity I have left. At least Skeksis are entertaining, and we do have something you want."

He stepped closer, and he lowered his voice—more for emphasis than secrecy. "We also know the location of the Crystal Shard. Surely your spies have seen the Wall of Prophecy by now."

A subtle shiver went down the Emperor's spine at the mention of the wall. Yes, they were aware of the thing. It had sprung up seemingly overnight, and it depicted an ominous portent of what might happen, should Gelfling be allowed their freedom. The only reason he wasn't ordering the outright slaughter of the disgusting bugs was because thus far, Gelfling were the only creatures of Thra that provided pure enough essence to rejuvenate him and his fellows to lasting effect. Drinking Gelfling essence was all he had to stop the corrosion in his body from the Darkening. Without it, he would surely die.

SkekSo quietly harbored the hope that with enough consumption of essence, he would completely restore himself to vitality and be cured. After that, he would have no use for Gelfling and could exterminate them at leisure. The first steps to reaching that goal was to bring Gelfling to heel and gain possession of the shard. If the latter couldn't be destroyed, then they would have to hide it away safely where no gelfling could ever find it to use it against them.

"We are listening," he said softly. "Tell us where the shard is. Tell us how Gelfling managed to kill some of our Garthim, and explain the presence of the fleet of ships on the silver coast. Do that, and you may stay with us in the castle...as jesters."

UrGoh and SkekGra exchanged a glance, and the latter spoke again. "Very well. The shard can be found in a Podling village, just outside Sami Thicket."

"A Podling village?" repeated SkekUng, his rough voice sincerely mistrustful. "Lies. Why would Gelfling entrust such an artifact to miserable podlings?"

"Can you think of a better location to be overlooked by one's enemies?" SkekGra shot back. "Gelfling aren't so stupid as you assume. They know Skeksis will be after the shard. Keeping it themselves would be too obvious. Entrusting it to Mother Aughra would be too obvious. If you want to hide something well, you don't put it in the first place someone might look."

Chamberlain nodded with agreement. "This is true."

SkekSo favored the Chamberlain with an askew glance, well aware that he kept secrets of his own that had yet to be uncovered. In due time, though. "Then a raid on that village must be conducted in the near future. How much time do we have before the gelfling attempt to use the shard?"

"Oh, they aren't going to do _that_ for another fifty trine," assured SkekGra. "They know it's pointless. The hiding spot is merely temporary, until they decide on a better one."

"Then what are their immediate plans?" pressed SkekUng. "Get on with it."

"They...wish...to evacuate," said UrGoh. "To lands...beyond...the sea."

"Which I'm sure you've already deduced by the huge fleet they've built," finished SkekGra. "Personally, we think you should let them. Less risk of them getting it into their heads to try and use the shard prematurely. Who knows what awaits them in this new land? Famine, disease...any number of things might kill them off in fifty trine."

"That is not an option," stated SkekSo sternly. "Any Gelfling we don't harvest will be slaughtered. It's a far better way to ensure we get what we need from them and end their threat to our kind for good."

"Well then, you'd better move fast," suggested SkekGra. "They don't intend to wait long. The exodus is already underway, and their leaders will be the first to sail to the new land."

"Not without their princess," said SkekSo slyly, reminded of the recent capture they'd witnessed.

"Princess?" echoed UrGoh.

"Yes, we have Princess Brea of Ha'rar," offered the Emperor, ignoring the Chamberlain's quiet attempt to discourage him from sharing the information. "The All Maudra has but one family member left to her. Draining her prince was a mistake. It lessened his usefulness as a hostage. Princess Brea is another matter, though. Seladon may not be so quick to abandon her, so long as she remains intact. Our garthim soldiers are returning to the castle with this prize as we speak."

Let the Chamberlain doubt his decision to reveal that information, SkekSo decided. If these two were playing both sides, then word might get back to the All Maudra all the sooner and delay her plans to leave these shores. All the more reason to go with the decision now looming in his mind.

"What of their recent success on our slave pen?" SkekSo asked when the pair remained silent. "What sort of weaponry did they forge to defeat our garthim that day? Surely not the standard variety they've been known for."

UrGoh seemed troubled, but SkekGra spoke up. "The bones of Thra, is what we were told."

"And what exactly is that?" queried SkekUng irritably. "Be more specific."

"Beats me." SkekGra shrugged. "Gelfling were vague about that. They no longer have the Dual Glaive at their disposal, so they formulated something new. Your garthim aren't so indestructible."

SkekSo scowled, suspecting there was more than he was being told. No matter, though. He now had the confirmation he needed that Gelfling were indeed attempting to flee these lands, and with that project underway, there was little to no chance of them striking again soon. They would be distracted in their efforts to evacuate and therefore, vulnerable.

"Thank you for providing this news to us," said SkekSo at last. "As a reward, you can leave with your lives."

"But the deal was for us to join you," protested SkekGra.

"I would be a fool to allow you to disrupt our society again," answered the Emperor. "Did you really believe it would be different? Be grateful you get out of it in one piece."

"Sire, the garthim return," said SkekUng, interrupting SkekSo's train of thought. "Behold! Approaching the bridge. Their baskets are full to bursting with Gelfling."

SkekSo leaned a bit to the side to see behind UrGoh, and sure enough, the host of garthim sent out to Stone in the Wood was approaching two by two, orderly in their triumph. Their numbers blackened the road, and they shuffled along more slowly than usual due to the burden each of them bore on their backs.

"Ah, wonderful," approved SkekSo. "Have them unload in the pit, and be sure to extract Princess Brea from the catch. Drain the rest immediately afterwards."

"Yes, Sire," agreed SkekUng, wiping drool from his beak. "I'll relay the order to SkekTek and SkekNa immediately."

SkekSo looked at the outcasts again, smug in his moment of success. "You may go now, but be quick about it before I change my mind."

UrGoh's expression changed until he almost looked like he was about to smile, but then a shout from far up on the parapet reached the Emperor's ears. SkekSo grumbled and looked up to find the Scroll Keeper standing beside the Gourmand by the spyglass, waving his bony arms frantically. He couldn't make out what he was saying.

"What is he babbling about?" demanded SkekSo.

Chamberlain's hearing was marginally better, and the look of horror on his face wasn't feigned in the least as he answered the question. "Dousan! Sire, SkekOk says Dousan fly in from Northwest!"

"The Dousan?" SkekSo looked in the direction as indicated, and he could barely make out the blobby forms of the great, gliding beasts Dousan were so fond of using. Possibilities spilled into his mind, drowning all else out. The approach of the Dousan could mean one of two things; either they were approaching to swear loyalty and denouncing the rebellion, or...

"One single clan can be dealt with, if they wish for a fight," stated SkekSo, shaking off the disquiet he felt tingling in his bones. Dousan had remained neutral through much of the conflict, and they were so secluded and mistrusted that Skeksis truthfully knew only a little about them. Perhaps they came to offer their services and request that the ban on their kind be lifted for serving as castle guards, but the sky was getting awfully dark with their numbers if this was simply an envoy.

"I don't think they come to talk," said the Chamberlain in a whine. "Too many!"

"They would be fools to attack us on their own," SkekSo pointed out. "Even if they bring the entire clan down on us, it wouldn't be enough to sack this fortress. Dousan don't even have the numbers of the guards we once boasted, and we squashed their rebellion with little trouble."

The Chamberlain seemed to take heart in that. The Garthim Master had paused briefly to listen, and then he lumbered off again, his metal spurs sending up sparks from the stone. SkekSo looked at the two exiles again to find them turning away to make their retreat, and the words tossed to him over SkekGra's shoulder forced him to rethink his assumption that the approaching Dousan wouldn't be a threat.

"Well, we'll be on our way now, former brethren. We wouldn't be you for all of Thra right now. Best of luck! Toodles!"

Just _what_ did he mean by that? SkekSo was starting to suspect the entire exchange with the odd pair had been some sort of ruse, and he looked up at the skies again. Maybe the Dousan _weren't_ the only danger. This could be the start of a concentrated effort to rescue the gelfling the Garthim were lugging back from their raid.

"See to the defenses," he advised once he entered the castle again and met up with his brethren waiting in there. "Keep a wary eye on the horizon, and unleash the Crystal Bats for surveillance. Something is not right."

"What of SkekGra and his pet Mystic?" asked SkekEkt. "Shouldn't we stop them?"

SkekSo thought about it seriously, but he didn't want to appear weak or paranoid. The outcasts had done most of the damage they could already, and he still wasn't certain that parting shot wasn't just insane nonsense uttered in response to rejection.

"No. They can do no more harm and we need every Garthim here accounted for and ready. We shall continue with the draining and deal with the Dousan when they arrive."

* * *

"Are we sure this is the right way?"

Amri paused to look back at Naia. He had broken into a sweat from the hot air being fed into the tunnels from the core of Thra.

"No," he answered truthfully. "I've never been through this system, but our friends up ahead seem to know where they're going."

Naia fired a mistrustful stare at the two spitters leading the way of their mixed group. Old mistrusts were hard to break; at least for her. It wasn't just the indoctrination Gelfling had faced during the Arathim wars. Skeksis had played both sides against each other, lied about the true reason Arathim were the enemy, and that wasn't the fault of Gelfling or Arathim. The latter had, however, been quick enough to ally themselves with Skeksis and as such were responsible for some of the deaths suffered during the resistance.

If they were so quick to switch sides before and help capture Gelfling for harvest, who was to say the same couldn't happen again? That was Naia's concern, and she couldn't see it vanishing until this fight was over and her people were safely aboard the fleet and away from this continent.

"We're headed in the right direction," Gurjin assured her. "I can tell that much. Save the aggression for the fight, sister."

She reached out to take her twin's hand so that she could communicate with him through dreamfast. _"Heading in the right direction doesn't mean that we're heading for a safe entryway to the castle. I can't trust them. What if they've taken another offer from the Skeksis and are leading us into a trap?"_

_"I think that's on all of our minds,"_ came his response, assuring her that she wasn't the only one suffering doubts. _"This entire thing is a gamble and we all knew it when we started out. All we can do is stay on our toes and try to be ready for everything."_

She released his hand and nodded, trusting more in their Grottan navigator's abilities than she trusted their Arathim companions' integrity. Amri had already assured her that he'd scouted some escape routes they could use if the Arathim led them astray or things went sour. By now, Rian's team should be inside or approaching the castle, assuming the ruse worked as desired. If Skeksis saw through it or the fighting began before reinforcements could make it, the whole thing would go up in smoke.

The group came to a stop at a fork in the tunnel, and the two Arathim guiding them spoke as one.

"This way. This leads to our old tunnels, often unused by Garthim."

"How can you be sure they're unused?" demanded Naia. "You haven't been there for some time."

"Small scouts," came the answer. "Little ones that can get by unnoticed. Very seldom do Garthim tread these tunnels; at least the outer ones. More resistance will be found further in, though."

Naia looked at Amri, who shrugged. For a moment, their eyes locked in silent communication, each quietly warning the other to be careful.

"Then this is where we part ways," Naia announced. "Amri's forces skirt around, while ours go in deeper to the water tunnels."

The Gelfling split up and joined their respective teams. The two Arathim with them also parted ways, with one joining Naia's group and the other going with Amri's. Each of them kept their doubts silent and moved as quickly as they could to their decided access points to the castle.

* * *

"They're ready," informed Deet, her eyes glowing an eerie purple before fading back to their usual dark hue. She looked around at her companions, and she compressed her lips. "I need to concentrate, I'm afraid. Just to give Rian and the others enough time."

Vaurin nodded, calling for a halt. He looked around to be sure they were in a concealed enough spot, and he dismounted his land strider before going over to assist Deet down from hers. "We'll stop here, then. Do what you must, Lady Deet. We'll be sure to protect you until you've finished, and then we'll await the signal for our next move."

Hup was next to hit the ground, scrambling down from Lore's back to take a look around for himself. "Looks safe. Garthim already came through. Bats could turn back dis way, though."

Vaurin looked up at the sky, and he nodded. "We'll send the mounts away and shelter up in the cave over there, just as planned."

It was as close as he dared get until it was time for them to move in. If all went as planned, the Dousan would send someone to pick them up and take them the rest of the way to the castle. Vaurin gave Summer a pat on the leg before commanding her to exit the area. She and the others would stay close in case they were called, at least for a while. If not, they would make their way back home to their paddocks.

"I'll see you again, girl," promised Vaurin to his mount. "At least once more."

It made his heart ache to watch her plod away with the others of her kind. Land striders were too unwieldy in their size and form to be taken with on the exodus. Trying to transport a herd of them such a distance over the water would be foolish, and it was estimated that less than half their numbers would survive the journey. Better to prioritize cargo space for livestock that would travel better and take up less space. Likely there were land strider herds in the new land, and they could work on taming and training replacements for their needs when they got there.

"But none could ever replace you, Summer," sighed Vaurin as his faithful mount passed out of sight through the trees. He felt a gentle hand on his arm, and he turned to find Deet standing beside him. She didn't speak, but the quiet urgency in her eyes reminded her that she had a very important part to play in this, and if she didn't begin this next task soon, Rian and all of his warriors would lose the advantage.

Time enough to reflect on all they would leave behind later, Vaurin decided. First they had to succeed in this endeavor or at least come out of it alive. Then they had to get as many Gelfling safely onto the ships as possible and set sail.

* * *

The Emperor sat in his court, thinking about all the essence they would soon have bulking up their stores. He also considered the approaching Dousan and the menace they might represent, however mild. Standing nearby were SkekUng and SkekSil, both of whom were watching him with bated breath to see what he would do next.

"Sire, if I may," presented the Chamberlain at last, "could be that Dousan still have uses for us."

"Such as?" SkekSo glanced up at him. "They are tainted."

"Yes, but...perhaps if they come with hostile intent, we should reconsider simply killing them. Twisted and corrupt their ways may be, but still gelfling, yes?"

SkekSo frowned, and he looked at the Garthim Master curiously when he harrumphed.

"I know where he's going with this," said SkekUng, "and for once, I find myself agreeing with the Chamberlain. Even if the Dousan come to treat with us, I can't see their loyalty lasting for long once we round up and harvest all other Gelfling. Inferior essence from their kind is still superior to that of a podling or other creatures we've drained. Maybe we shouldn't let it go to waste."

"So you both think we should try to capture rather than kill them all," surmised the Emperor, "and drain them."

The Chamberlain nodded and hummed, shrugging. "Could be emergency supply. How long will our stores last once all Gelfling are gone?"

SkekSo stroked his chin with metallic-tipped claws, having considered the same possibility. He nodded. "True. Dousan _are_ gelfling at the core. My hesitation to include them in the harvest is due to their obsessive morbidity. What sort of harvest would we get from a clan that worships death? Perhaps their beliefs would corrupt their essence and turn it to poison, rather than the sustaining elixir we need."

"Hmmm. Possible." The Chamberlain thought on it, and then he offered a devious suggestion. "Some Skeksis are bound to overstep themselves in the future and displease you, Emperor. Peeper Beetles aren't the only punishment you could mete out. Why not test Dousan essence on them?"

SkekSo blinked slowly, looking up at SkekSil through pale lashes. Not that he had any compunctions about punishing those who forgot their place, but Skeksis were few enough in number without their recent losses. "You suggest I force one of our kind to drink something that could kill them?"

Chamberlain shrugged. "Only sample. If no illness befalls them, you know Dousan essence is fit for consumption."

"And you are aware that you stand as much of a risk as anyone of being the first test subject?"

The Chamberlain paused, looking subtly discomforted at the dry reminder that he himself was prone to getting on the Emperor's bad side. He sighed, and he gave a nod. "Chamberlain understands that, Sire."

SkekSo wondered, sometimes. SkekSo seemed to think he could talk his way out of anything, and he had such a high opinion of his own persuasive powers that his ego sometimes got the better of him.

In that moment, while the Emperor pondered over essences, what to do with the Dousan and how to deal with them if they attacked, the Slave Master came hurrying into the throne chamber in a flurry of robes. Like the Scientist, he had only one eye but it was uncommonly wide and expressive with alarm.

"Sire! Emperor! The Garthim!"

SkekSo raised a brow in puzzlement, noting SkekNa's labored breathing and urgent gate. "What of them? Don't tell me something's gone amiss with them again."

"It's worse than that! Of the ones that returned with captives, half aren't moving as if inactive, and the others...the others..."

"Out with it!" Shouted SkekUng furiously. "What is happening with my garthim?"

"They're embattled in the cell chambers," blurted the Slave Master, "with the Gelfling they collected!"

SkekSo stood up, prompted to action by what sounded like alarmist drama to him. True, the claim that a number of Garthim were unresponsive was troubling, but the rest sounded like exaggeration. "Gelfling always struggle, you know that. There just happen to be more of them this time."

"Sire, they are _killing_ the garthim! They're armed!"

SkekSo wracked his mind for an explanation. The visions of the raid portrayed in the crystal only showed perhaps a handful of gelfling that were armed at the time of their abduction. The rest appeared to be simple villagers, and SkekSo had planned a follow-up raid to capture the rest.

So how did those hapless villagers end up armed to the teeth and capable of inflicting harm on the Garthim? How did they escape their cages without first being removed from them by garthim pincers?

"My Garthim can't be beaten by puny Gelfling!"

The Garthim Master's statement was met by a disdainful sneer from the Chamberlain.

"Apparently," said SkekSil, "they can."

* * *

"I...I can't! I can't hold it any longer!"

Deet's pained cry was practically a wail of grief, and Vaurin quickly squatted at her side, daring to take her by the shoulders despite the dark energy coiling around her, marring her fair green skin with purple veins.

"Then let it go, Lady Deet. You've gotten them this far, and the Skeksis will soon have the Dousan to contend with. You've bought all the time you could. Rian wouldn't want you killing yourself with this."

"B-but...there's still so many..."

Hup squeezed in between Vaurin and Deet, and he waved a hand before her blank, staring eyes. "Deet, wake! Is too much! Time to go now!"

The podling seemed to get through to her where Vaurin failed. Her eyes went dark, the violet faded from her skin and she gasped in exhaustion. Vaurin helped her to her feet while his warriors looked on with concern, and he took note of how her legs were shaking.

"Can you go on?" he asked her softly. "There's no need for you to do more than you have, you know. We can leave you here with two warriors to protect you. It should be safe enough."

She shook her white head, and her eyes seemed hollow with fatigue as she looked up at Vaurin. "I need to see it through. I can't stop now."

He nearly gave in. After all, it was time to fire the signal to the Dousan so that one of them would come and collect his team for the third wave. There wasn't time for debate, and Deet was a grown woman able to decide her own risks.

However as he examined her, Vaurin thought about his own mate. He thought of how he'd feel if Seladon were in this condition and still determined to throw herself into the fight. Deet was largely responsible for saving him. He owed her what little protection he had to offer.

"Deet, you can hardly stand. You don't need to be physically present to guide Rian, do you?"

"No, I...I can do it through the dreamworld and our bond."

"Then do it," he urged gently. "Trying to go in there and fight in your state won't help anyone, and it puts you in un-necessary danger. Leave the physical fighting to us and trust in your mate. He has as much reason to live through this as me, and from what I've learned of Rian, he's not one for giving up."

She wavered, and she looked around at the others. Her eyes fell to Hup. The podling immediately planted the end of his spoon in the ground in a determined pose.

"Hup stay with Deet," announced the podling. "Will protect Lady Deet with life and spoon!"

"I will stay with her as well," offered one of the former castle guards in their company. He was an older gelfling, probably nearing retirement age but nonetheless skilled with a blade.

"All right," agreed Vaurin. "Then let's fire the signal arrow and get this underway."

Someone handed him the bow and one of the custom designed arrows. There was extra tubing attached to the length of the shaft, along with a fuse. Vaurin himself had participated in testing the signal arrows and practicing with them for this event. He stepped out of the cave by himself, looking around carefully to be sure there were no signs of crystal bats in the air before coming out into the open.

Seeing that the coast was clear, the paladin knocked the special arrow and aimed skyward. He breathed a quiet prayer to Thra after nodding to one of his companions and waiting for them to light the fuse on the arrow with a flint and knife. It sparked, the fuse was lit and Vaurin launched the projectile to the sky. He and his fellow paladin watched as it arched high and to the west, waiting to see if one of the five additional signal arrows would need to be fired.

It combusted as it ascended, and a trail of sparks and smoke marked its path as intended. The additional arrows were there both as backup in case the initial signal failed to work properly, and to fire additional signals after the first to help their allies locate them.

The problem was that these signals were likely to attract attention. If the Skeksis noticed them, they might send their spies to investigate. With any luck, there would be too much chaos for the enemy to worry about a few smoke signals, even if they had a chance to notice them.

* * *

The fury of his clan was alive and hot. Every Dousan present glared down at the castle as they approached it, and hoots rang out. Maudra Seethi herself had chosen to lead the charge, and she rode up ahead of the formation on her Crystal Skimmer, and she shouted out to her people in a passionate, booming voice unheard from her in years.

"Dousan, our time is now! Too long have we accepted Skeksis rule, too long have we remained neutral and reclusive, setting ourselves apart from our brethren. No longer! Today, all Gelfling strike as one! We break the last of our chains and avenge our fallen brothers and sisters! Today, we speak with one voice, one heart, one mind! Remember our ways and don't fear death! It's only a barrier to pass through into the next life!"

The clan cried out as one, morale boosted by their leader's stirring speech. Rek'yr found himself standing straighter on the back of his own mount, Bennu. Feet braced apart with practiced balance, he shoved a fist in the air and added his voice to his brethren's. It was the most alive he'd felt since the first time he'd kissed his princess, and he knew that because of this effort, come what may, some of his kind would survive to carry on.

"Rek'yr," shouted one of the Sandmaster's crew members, "the signal! Over there, near the hills."

Rek'yr looked in the direction indicated, spotting the fading trail of smoke streaking over the tree line. His crew's part in this would have to wait; it appeared Vaurin's team was ready.

"Begin," hollered the Dousan Maudra, and her followers readied scores of netting loaded with explosives. The Dousan began to drop them over the sides of their Crystal Gliders, directly down onto the castle grounds below. The air itself seemed to shake with the booming explosions as the bombs touched down, and Rek'yr swore he saw pieces crumble from some of the spires of the castle.

He smiled, even as he turned away from the assault to do his extra part. Once his people unloaded all the bombs they had, the females would fly down with male passengers to join the gelfling forces within the castle. Rek'yr could imagine the reactions the Skeksis might be having right now. Attacked from within, beneath and above, they were surely having a bad day.

* * *

Naia and Gurjin led their team of Drenchen through the aqueduct within the catacombs. Having lived and served in the castle for a good while, Gurjin knew the way once they navigated the underwater tunnels and surfaced. They of course had to part ways with their Arathim guide before taking to the water, and the water itself was none too clean. Naia complained of smelling like Skeksis piss all the way through the catacombs, but her protests died quickly when they made it into a spacious chamber with high ceilings.

There were Garthim lining every wall. Naia drew back with an urgent shushing motion at her twin and their companions, eyes wide with alarm. Everyone readied their weapons, expecting a fight, but then Naia realized that these Garthim weren't reacting to their presence at all. Their eyes were dimmed, and it occurred to her with no small relief that these particular monsters were asleep.

"Seems the Skeksis have Garthim in reserve," she whispered to Gurjin, who was swallowing hard and stepping lightly.

"More than we could ever guess," he agreed, also whispering. "The others need to know about this...or should we just kill them off now? They don't really even look alive, do they?"

"Skeksis probably haven't done whatever they do to wake them up yet," she theorized. "Then again, they might not be as vulnerable as they look."

Gurjin grimaced. "Want to poke one and find out?"

"_You_ poke one," countered his sister irritably, "if you're so eager to start fighting before we even make it to the others."

"No thank you. I'd rather not face one of these things in a fight before I absolutely have to."

"Then let's move on." Naia slid her crystal spear back into its holder on her back, and she grabbed a handful of her dreadlocks to wring more water out of it. "I assume we follow the fresher air?"

Gurjin nodded, and his ears swiveled a bit. "Right, and I think I hear fighting from somewhere up ahead. Hard to tell with the echoing how close it is."

"Then let's not waste any time," suggested Naia, and they continued their trek, each of them walking softly and nervously through the "Garthim Storage Chamber" for fear of waking any of the hulking monstrosities. Someone swore when they came to an iron gate in the portcullis, blocking their way out.

"I don't like this one bit," muttered Gurjin, looking around for a way to raise the gate. "There. That crank. We have to turn it, and the chains wrap around it to lift the gate."

Naia compressed her lips, but there was little choice. There was no other way through, so it was either this gate or trying to backtrack and figure out which way Amri had led his Grottan warriors. Without a guide, they'd surely get lost in the honeycomb of old Arathim tunnels.

"All right, let's hope it's been greased recently. Gurjin, help me turn it. The rest of you be on guard; backs to us and facing the chamber. If you see any of those garthim start to move, warn us."

"Of course, Maudra."

Naia froze and blinked at the young warrior, startled by the title. He too seemed to realize what he'd said, but she spoke before he could open his mouth to correct himself.

"Laesid is still your Maudra, and she will be for many trine yet to come. Don't be so quick to lay that mantle on me when my mother isn't even ill."

"Forgive me," he apologized, his features going ruddier with embarrassment. "Your leadership has been so inspiring lately, I slipped. It won't happen again."

Naia checked a sigh and nodded. One day she _would_ be Maudra of her clan—provided the tradition didn't die out once they settled in the new land. There were a lot of changes to their way of life coming though, and how those changes might mold their society was anyone's guess.

She turned to assist her twin with the crank he'd pointed out, and she winced immediately when they started to turn it. It squealed and groaned as if it hadn't been used for a good while, and it was difficult to move. A cold sweat broke out on her skin, and she imagined all the creatures behind her springing to life and overwhelming them in seconds.

The feared scenario never happened. No Garthim woke, despite the ruckus. They got the gate raised just enough to let everyone duck through, and Gurjin pulled a lever in the wall to hold it in place.

"That should do," he said. "High enough for Gelfling to get under, but too low for Garthim or Skeksis to squeeze through. Not that I plan on leaving the way we came, but it's nice to have options."

"Nicely said," approved Naia. "Now which way?"

"Up the slope in this corridor. It will branch off at the top, and we should go to the left. Should be able to just follow it down from there to reach the dungeon area." Gurjin sighed. "I hope Amri remembers the directions I gave him. Last thing we need is for him and his team to get lost and end up wandering for the whole fight."

"Agreed. Amri's blade skills will come in handy."

When Gurjin looked at her sharply, Naia shrugged. "What? He's good with a sword. We're likely going to be fighting Skeksis too, and they don't attack on sheer instinct like their pets."

"Hmph. Right."

Naia rolled her eyes, unable to understand why her twin always got so moody whenever she mentioned or interacted with Amri. They could discuss his apparent disapproval of her most recent friendship later, though.

* * *

"What are these walls made of?"

Amri paused and looked back at the Grottan girl that had stopped to study the wall in question. There were cracks and chips in them now from the explosions that had shaken the castle. He too looked at the place where a chunk of black mortar had fallen away, revealing what appeared to be a whole second wall behind the first. It gleamed white and silver, and when he touched it, it was cool like rock but smoother than even the walls of the citadel in Ha'rar.

"I'm not sure," admitted Amri. "Some sort of mineral? Or maybe it's like the veins of glass we sometimes find in the caverns near the core vents. It isn't porous, whatever it is."

"Is it all through the castle?" The girl looked around with a hint of awe on her curious, delicate features.

"I've never been here before," reminded Amri. "I couldn't say. Who knows how old this place really is, or what it looked like before Skeksis came? Mother Aughra says the Skeksis we know now aren't the ones that built it...whatever _that_ means."

"How peculiar," someone else in the group said.

"Maybe one day we can learn more," said Amri, changing the subject. "We need to keep moving. Our friends are fighting without us and I for one don't intend to let them down."

"Right! Let's go."

Amri led them down the next tunnel, but he skidded to an abrupt halt when he heard ominous clicking echoing off the walls. Having expected the possibility of running into one of the creatures, he did his best to swallow his fear when the clicking sound became louder and more urgent.

"Garthim," he hissed over his shoulder at his companions, readying his spear. "No idea how many. Get ready!"

Someone dropped their spear with a clatter as they tried to draw it; probably out of fearful shaking. Amri had no time to try and reassure them; two of the creatures were now rounding the bend in the tunnel, and they paused just long enough to fixate on the small group of cave dwelling Gelfling that had come into their lair.

They were coming for them then, and Amri shouted just for the sake of getting his adrenaline going, faking bravery as he led the charge. Truth be told, he thought he would need a change of pants after this, but hesitation wasn't an option.

Amri slid, bending backwards weirdly as a deadly pincher arched out in an attempt to snap at him. He drove his spear upwards, practically underneath the belly of the lead Garthim. He got only a moment's satisfaction when he felt the point go in, and then it was quickly blown away with the realization that he hadn't penetrated deeply enough to do more than barely wound the creature. What was worse; his spear seemed to be lodged between the segments of the Garthim's carapace. He was being dragged along beneath the Garthim, which was stumbling in apparent confusion but still focused on its prime directive.

"Amri!"

"I'm...I'm okay," he hollered, though his cloak had snagged on a crack in the floor and he found himself being partly strangled by it. His next shout came out rather choked. "Finish it while it's crippled! Be fast!"

His clan mates rushed to comply, inspired to braveness by the sight of their group leader in peril. Amri yelped when he got stepped on by one of his Garthim's many legs, the sharp edges tearing his shirt and shoulder. The pain was distant in the excitement of the moment, though he was sure he'd feel it later—if he lived that long.

"Let...go!" He finally twisted his spear in a way that allowed him to dislodge it, and one of his allies grabbed him by the shoulders to pull him out from under the creature. Someone had scored a killing strike at the same time, and the Garthim began to collapse.

"Thank you," gasped Amri, reaching for the shaft of his spear and struggling to his feet. He heard a scream, and he saw that one of the females in his group was caught in the second Garthim's pincer.

"Hold on!" Amri leaped to her aid, determined to free her. There was a horrible cracking sound, the hapless female caught in its grip opened her mouth and eyes wide, and her blood splattered the walls, the Garthim, and Amri's face.

He went still with shock, having expected the monster to be under orders to capture Gelfling, not kill them. Evidently they had a different directive for dealing with intruders. As Amri watched, the life faded from his clan mate's eyes. Her body was tossed aside like a broken toy, hitting the wall before thudding in two halves to the floor.

"You...evil..." Amri choked on his own rage, and then everything went red.

* * *

"Back the other way!"

Rian and his company were forced to retreat, because once the other Garthim shook off Deet's influence, they began to crowd together to form a living, clicking wall. Two Stonewood warriors had already fallen under the fresh assault, along with one Spriton. The spear bearer was encircled by the increasingly desperate team of fighters in an attempt to keep him and their backup weapons safe from harm.

Brea called out as they were slowly driven back toward the corridor they'd come in through. "Where are the others? They should be here by now!"

Rian shook his head, unable to answer. He knew the Dousan had unleashed their bombs on the castle, because the tremors and explosions stopped some time ago. Theoretically they should have landed by now and made their way into the castle to fight on foot, but Thra only knew what unforeseen opposition they might be facing. The same went for the other teams. Nobody could say how many Garthim there actually were in this place. Nobody knew how many of them could be active at once; only that their numbers had increased with time, and there were no longer limits to how far they could travel away from the Dark Crystal.

"We just have to hold on a bit longer," Rian encouraged. "Someone will be here! Focus on defense, and don't allow them to herd us into a corner."

It was easier said than done, he realized. They were being driven back into the cell room. If the Garthim managed to box them in...

"Behind us!"

Rian whirled around to look when he heard the exclamation, and his hopes of seeing some of their allies arriving were dashed. Two Skeksis blocked the way into the dungeon; the Garthim Master and the fat one they called The Gourmand.

"Look at this," called SkekAyuk jubilantly, "they've delivered themselves right to our door! Quite convenient for harvesting, wouldn't you say?"

SkekUng didn't seem so pleased. In fact, his eyes gleamed red with fury. "They've killed some of my Garthim. I have no intention of draining the little beasts! I'll tear them to shreds with my bare claws!"

While the crystal spears offered the advantage of greater reach, they were needed to bring down Garthim. Skeksis, Rian had learned, could be cut and stabbed with other weapons. "Rear guard, change weapons!"

Those closest to the Skeksis did as they were told, and the Gelfling found themselves pressed on all sides by the combined might of their enemies. Another fighter went down with a gurgling cry next to Rian, his throat crushed in the pincer of a Garthim. Rian saw that same bloodied claw closing in on him, and he knew he wouldn't get his spear up in time to block it.

Another spear shot out before his eyes, intercepting the Garthim's attack with a resonating ringing sound. The Garthim withdrew as if pained, its pincer cracked from the blow to it. The crystal spearhead cracked and splintered as well.

It was Brea. She'd been the one to save him, and Rian met her wide, frightened eyes with a little smile of gratitude. Brea gave him a shaken smile in return, and then she was accepting a replacement spear from the Spriton in charge of carrying extras.

"Oi, Rian! Did you miss us?"

The familiar voice of his best friend carried to the Stonewood prince's ears, bringing with it a heavy sense of relief. Gurjin, Naia and their fighters had come up behind SkekUng and SkekAyuk in the chaos, surprising them. The Drenchen were all dripping wet and they smelled none too fresh, but Rian had never been happier to see the lot of them.

"What took you so long?"

"Oh, a little of this and a little of that," grunted Naia, working with her brother to fend off the Garthim Master's attacks. "Mostly a gate, though."

"Where are they all coming from?" whined the Gourmand, even as he caught up one of the Drenchen in a claw and drew his sword on it. He hesitated though, perhaps because he was more interested in draining them for essence than killing them outright. "SkekUng, we should—ouch!"

The Drenchen he'd been grappling with stabbed him in the armpit while he was talking to his companion, and the Gourmand hastily let go and blocked the next attack with one of the blades clutched in his secondary hands.

"Retreat," finished SkekAyuk. "Let the Garthim deal with them!"

"I won't retreat from these weaklings," snarled the Garthim Master. He roared and swung with the massive battle sword, and one unfortunate Stonewood female couldn't jump away in time to save herself. She fell with a fatal slash that ran from her shoulder all the way diagonally down to her hip.

"Fight, you blundering fool," ordered the Garthim Master to his fellow Skeksis. "The Emperor will never forgive us if we fail to put a stop to this!"

Indeed, even with the Drenchen reinforcements forcing the Skeksis back against the wall, it was only a matter of time before the Gelfling were overwhelmed. More Garthim had come in from the outer corridors, probably from other lairs within the castle. The number of crystal spears was diminishing and two more of their numbers fell to blade and claw.

A horn blew from one of the side corridors leading up to the next level of the castle. At first Rian feared it was a Skeksis horn, but he'd never heard one of that pitch before in his days as a castle guard. The combined voices of Dousan fighters hooted and hollered, assuring him that it was not enemies, but allies joining in.

"Rek'yr!" Brea cried, waving frantically at the Dousan that had scrambled up onto one Garthim's back to spear it hard between the shoulders. Her suitor looked up in response to her call, his painted and tattooed features smeared with black and pink blood. His eyes lit up to see her alive and unharmed, and then he got knocked off his perch by another Garthim as penalty for his distraction.

"No!" Brea started forward, and Rian stopped her before she could rush straight into the pincers of a Garthim.

"Brea, pay attention to what's around you!"

"But Rek'yr is—"

"I'm safe, beloved," called the Sandmaster. Maudra Seethi was at his side as he got back to his feet and waved a broken spear in the air to signal the princess. "Fight on!"

Now that they had three out of four teams present, the fighters gained a renewed burst of energy and hope. The tide began to turn as members from each clan worked together as one to eliminate every Garthim they could, and force the Skeksis into retreat.

* * *

"Where is he?" Vaurin pressed the blades harder against the Chamberlain's skinny throat, drawing dark blood. "I won't ask again."

"S-SkekSil does not know where Ritual Master is hiding," whined the Chamberlain, claws up in appeasement. "Please...Chamberlain try to _help_ Gelfling. Try to make peace! Am friend, not enemy."

"I'm not going to debate the fine points of how exactly you think you've been a friend to my people," said the paladin in biting tones. He and his team had come across this one while he was attempting to get through a secret passage he'd opened up, unaware of the opponents hiding in the shadows behind him. "Don't try to lie to me. Where does this tunnel you were about to take lead to?"

"T-to laboratory," explained the Chamberlain. "Was going to find friend Scientist and urge him t-to leave. Not want fight with Gelfling."

"No, I suppose you don't," stated Vaurin, narrowing his eyes. "Not an honest one, at least. You're like a carrion scavenger; picking at the bones of others' kills. Too cowardly to do your own dirty work. I should end your miserable life now and—"

"Vaurin, hold," intervened one of his teammates, a Sifan male that was once a castle guard. "Remember the vow we made."

Vaurin took a deep breath, finally withdrawing the blades to leave two thin smears of dark blood on SkekSil's throat. For every Skeksis they wounded or killed, a Mystic suffered the same fate. It was because of that link and the fact that they had no quarrel with the Mystics that they had all agreed to subdue, not kill the enemy. Nobody wanted innocents to suffer or die for their struggle.

"Right. Bind him tight, then."

He skewered the Chamberlain with his glare, rather than his blade. "If you've misled us about the location of the essence storage, I swear to Thra that I will make you wish you were dead. We all agreed not to kill you lot, but nobody said anything about maiming."

"Chamberlain understands! Will not struggle. Please don't hurt anymore!"

In disgust, Vaurin turned away. The castle was full of noise now, sounds of shouts, clanging weapons and bangs. The Emperor himself had likely retreated to some hidden chamber, possibly with the rest of his ilk. What few Skeksis weren't in hiding right now had probably been ordered to defend the castle, treated as little more than fodder. Vaurin recalled SkekSo's lack of personal engagement in the battle of Stone in the Wood, and he thought it unlikely that the Emperor would risk himself in combat now.

That meant he wasn't likely to run into the Ritual Master. SkekZok was probably with the Emperor now, waiting to see the outcome of the struggle before doing anything himself.

Vaurin didn't know how to feel about that. Part of him was afraid of the Ritual Master, recoiling at the thought of going anywhere near him again. The other half of him was eager to face him again, to exact some form of vengeance for what he'd taken from him, what he'd put him through. He felt like two different gelfling, pulled in separate directions with separate desires.

He pictured his beautiful mate in his mind's eye, and he told himself to think of her and the unborn childling she carried. He had a future to look forward to, Thra willing. A new land awaited, a fresh beginning that would hopefully bring peace and prosperity to his people. He would have a daughter to raise and with luck, more little ones after that. He just had to survive this and get back to his family.

"The essence," he said, returning his attention to the simpering Chamberlain as he realized he hadn't asked enough questions, "is it still in the storage chamber, or has it been moved somewhere else since this started?"

"I...do not know," admitted SkekSil. "Should be in storage. What use is it to Gelfling?"

Vaurin raised a brow at him, and the Chamberlain seemed to finally recognize him and understand. The Skeksis' eyes widened with un-feigned surprise. "Oh...it's you! Ritual Master's pet—"

"Don't you fucking call me that." Vaurin's blade pressed against SkekSil's throat. His mother would have smacked the back of his head hard enough to make him see stars if she heard him utter such a foul profanity, and even the Sifan beside him seemed startled. It was proof of how carefully he tended to conduct his language around those not prone to vulgarities themselves.

"I am not, nor was I _ever_, that thing's pet," Vaurin went on. "But at least you know who I am now. I guess that answers the question of what we want with our kinfolk's stolen essence, eh?"

The Chamberlain blinked. "Can restore Gelfling? I see, I see. Hmm."

Not liking the calculating look in the Skeksis' eye, Vaurin reiterated SkekSil's predicament by drawing another drop of blood. "So you think nobody has moved the essence. If they did, where would they have moved it to?"

"If had time, probably Emperor's Vault," answered the Chamberlain readily. He spread his claws in a pacifying way again. "Chamberlain can tell you no more than that."

Vaurin nodded, accepting it for the sole reason that they were running out of time. Deet had mentioned to him before they left that there were more Garthim beneath the castle. Scores of them that hadn't yet been imbued with the crystal's energy and thus were in a sort of limbo state until needed. Unless they could round up and account for every Skeksis in this place, there was no way to be sure one of the creatures wouldn't find a way to awaken those additional Garthim and make this fight take a devastating turn.

"He's secure, Prince," announced the Spriton male that took it upon himself to restrain the Chamberlain. "Even with the strength of their kind, he'll have trouble breaking free of this."

"Good," approved Vaurin. "Let's get moving. We've been fortunate not to run into any Garthim so far, but keep on your toes. Every corner we turn in this place could have an enemy waiting behind it."

As they moved along and followed both Vaurin's hazy memories of the place and the Chamberlain's directions, he noticed his Sifan companion staring at him. "Is there something on your mind, Laro?"

The Sifa warrior shrugged. "I was just surprised to hear you use that word, moments ago."

Vaurin smirked. "I _am_ half Sifa myself, on my mother's side. Granted she would wash my mouth out with soap if she were here right now, but some of that language I actually learned from her. The rest I picked up spending time with her folk. You know how it is."

"Yes, I know how it is." Laro grinned. "I suppose it just startled me because you're our prince now, mated to the All Maudra. I have never heard her utter words like that before, and this is the first time I've heard it from you."

"You'll never hear me say that around my wife," vowed the paladin. "I've slipped a bit now and then with her, but the worst of my swearing, I keep to myself. Honestly though, I think Seladon would be more amused and curious than offended. She's...rather sheltered when it comes to crude terms. The few times I've let my tongue slip in her presence, her reactions have been so—"

He was about to say "cute", but the moment they stepped into the chamber alleged to be the storage vault for essence, a gate slammed down behind them. He and his companion whirled around quickly as they heard the noise, followed by alarmed cries from their team.

The iron portcullis had dropped without warning, forcing the rest of the group to jump back or risk being impaled by it. Vaurin and Laro were now separated from the others, and there were no obvious levers, chains or cranks with which to raise the barrier.

"Prince, are either of you hurt?" asked one of the warriors after recovering from surprise.

"No, we're fine," assured Vaurin. "And you? Did anyone get injured?"

"We're all accounted for an unharmed, but I don't see a way to lift this gate. Is there a mechanism of any sort on your side?"

Vaurin grimaced, looking around at the dimly lit room. "Nothing that I can see."

"Maybe it's hidden," suggested one of the warriors.

"I can start searching more thoroughly on this side," suggested Laro, "while they do the same on their side."

Vaurin began to nod, but then he heard a rustle from somewhere deeper in the chamber. His companion heard it as well, started to speak but was quickly silenced by Vaurin. The prince shook his head, gestured at the portcullis and then pointed at Laro. He then nodded toward the direction the rustle had come from and patted himself on the chest.

"Are you sure?" mouthed the Sifan male uncertainly, shooting a wary look at the darkened area beyond the archway in back of the chamber.

Vaurin nodded. It didn't make much sense for them all to be whispering and tip-toeing around now, when just moments ago they'd been making enough noise to wake a hibernating Nebrie. Whomever was back there surely knew they were there already, and that gave them a bit of an advantage.

Vaurin eased his blades out of their scabbards as carefully and quietly as he could, all the same. He looked at his companions on the other side of the metal bars, and he mouthed an order to them.

"Keep talking. Don't let on that we heard anything."

Three of them just gave him perplexed looks, but the Stonewood in the front was obviously more adept at reading lips than the others, and he nodded. "I'll examine the ceiling. You two check the floors and the rest of you spread out to search the walls. Be on your guard; we don't know where the Skeksis themselves are, and there could be Garthim wandering around yet."

Satisfied that his message would be relayed to the others—who looked alarmed by their companion casually speaking out loud—Vaurin crept towards the archway, whisper quiet. The hairs at the base of his neck tingled, and his scalp itched with anticipating awareness. He didn't smell Garthim nearby, but there was another scent that he recognized all too well.

It was a scent that Vaurin would rather soon forget. One that had plagued him since the day he awoke from the nightmare inflicted upon him. Memories of being trapped within himself, just aware enough to know what was going on, yet powerless to do anything about it.

The half-Sifan prince felt a scowl twisting his lips. There was a heavy curtain hanging in the alcove, parted halfway. His heart pounded with the realization that he was going to face his tormentor one last time, after all.

Vaurin heard a barely audible clink and another faint rustle. He saw a brief glow from somewhere off to the right, quickly muffled again. As he slunk in to investigate further, he found himself staring at the robed backside of the Ritual Master. At first he had no idea what the Skeksis was doing, and his initial impression was that SkekZok was trying to pose for some bizarre ritual. It took him a moment to realize his enemy was positioned with one leg bent in the air because he was in the middle of stepping up on the sill of the curtained window. The glow Vaurin had seen came from the curtain parting briefly.

The rotten old vulture was trying to escape through the window. It seemed like a ridiculous notion to Vaurin, because not even a Skeksis was likely to survive a drop to the ground from this height, unless he was fortunate enough to hit the water of the moat below.

Vaurin heard the screech of bats outside, and at that moment, the Ritual Master pulled the curtains open completely. The sky immediately outside the window was blackened with the wings of Crystal Bats. They had swarmed tightly together and were hovering out there like a cloud, as if waiting.

Vaurin approached quickly and silently, just as SkekZok started to lever himself up. The paladin took no small delight in sticking his former captor with one blade, poking him directly in the rump, hard enough to draw blood and provoke a shocked howl from him.

SkekZok twisted to look over his shoulder, and his blue eyes widened considerably when he saw Vaurin standing there with a murderous look on his freckled face. In his surprise, the Skeksis dropped something he'd been clutching in one of his secondary hands—a draw sack full of flasks. One of them broke as the sack hit the floor, and the glistening essence inside of it spilled, soaking into the material and puddling on the floor.

Vaurin looked down, frowned at the loss and then flicked his gaze back up at SkekZok.

"What were you trying to do?" he asked, "have your flying vermin carry you away? Or were you just hoping they could slow your fall enough to lessen the risk of death?"

"Prince," blurted SkekZok.

Vaurin grimaced. He'd been doing that a lot lately, in fact...every time anyone addressed him by that title. This creature was the reason why it triggered him so to be addressed by his station.

"How do you like my aura now?" asked Vaurin, voice dropping to a menacing note. "As I recall, you described it as 'strong' that day you and your General were examining us paladins like livestock."

"Prince Vaurin?" called one of his men, "do you require aid?"

"Keep searching for the way to open that portcullis," answered Vaurin without taking his eyes off his adversary. "I have this under control. He isn't going anywhere."

Vaurin addressed SkekZok again, and he nodded at the window. "Close the curtains. Answer my questions if you want to keep your head on your shoulders."

The Skeksis narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, seeming to take measure of Vaurin. "You look different. It's to be expected of course, now that you've somehow been restored. I don't recall that streak of white being in your hair before we drained you, though."

It was so very hard for Vaurin not to rise to the obvious bait. He wanted to hurl insults at the Skeksis, flay him with every profanity he'd ever learned. That, he suspected, was the Ritual Master's intent, though. To make him buckle to his emotions and slip up, to get distracted enough to provide an opening. Knowing SkekZok as he did, Vaurin suspected the Skeksis was just as likely to try and take him as a hostage as he was to try and complete his escape attempt.

"Every battle leaves a scar of some sort," stated Vaurin, and he was surprised at how even his own voice sounded to him. "No more speaking from you except to answer my questions. If I'm satisfied with the results, we'll leave you bound here and unharmed. If not...well, my blades are quite thirsty today."

"What do you want to know? If you hope I can identify which Gelfling each of these flasks came from, I must disappoint you. I didn't even know _your_ name when I decided to make you my pet—"

Vaurin moved on impulse, his right sword flashing with blinding speed to nick the Ritual master on the side of his face. The cut startled him enough to silence him, and he began to regard Vaurin with a hint of fear in his eyes.

"I don't expect you to know or care which Gelfling you Skeksis took these essences from," said Vaurin, his tone going clipped and tight. "We have ways of finding that out ourselves. I can only assume you gathered these with haste, for your own personal use. Where are the rest of them?"

SkekZok glanced at something beyond the paladin's left shoulder, and Vaurin risked a glance to see a tall pantry of sorts in the corner of the alcove room. It was open just a crack, and he could see the telling, pale glow of essence illuminating the inside of it.

Vaurin looked at the Skeksis again. He couldn't be sure that every flask they'd stored minus the one that broke was accounted for, but given the circumstances, this would have to be enough. "How do we open this chamber back up?"

SkekZok didn't immediately answer, so Vaurin gave him added incentive by lowering his left blade until it pointed directly at the Skeksis' crotch. He wasn't sure any of them even _had_ gender parts, but the cringing reaction of the Ritual Master suggested otherwise.

"How?" Repeated Vaurin.

"There's a pressure panel on the wall, just by the arch there," obliged SkekZok at last.

"No mechanism on the other side?" pressed Vaurin, frowning. "How do you open it from out there, then?"

Again, the Ritual Master hesitated. Vaurin's mouth tightened, and he gave him a tiny jab with his sword, making him yelp. "Th-the way to open it from the outside is in the Emperor's personal chambers. A lever with a clockwork timer. It counts down once the lever is pulled, allowing one hundred-twenty ticks to enter the storage chamber before it releases the portcullis again."

Vaurin thought it over. It made sense, given the greedy nature of these creatures. They didn't trust one another not to take more than their share of essence, not to steal from the reserves in a moment of gluttony.

"So none of you can access the chamber without permission from your Emperor."

"That's the idea," agreed SkekZok.

Vaurin's eyes narrowed on him. "So then he must have sent you to collect those flasks you had in your bag."

When SkekZok merely nodded, Vaurin went on. "And when you heard us coming, you tried to block our way in. That didn't work as planned, so you called your bats to help you escape the chamber. I see. Were you planning to return to your Emperor after escaping?"

"That would depend on the outcome of all this," admitted SkekZok. "I couldn't very well navigate through a horde of you Gelfling inside the castle without being seen. Sometimes, it's best to bide one's time and play it by ear."

"Yes, I imagine you're good at that. Don't move or try anything."

Vaurin inched away toward the archway, and his Sifan companion came in just as the prince began to check the wall for the pressure plate.

"We can't find a means of getting the gate open," reported Laro. "I'm thinking we could look for something to pry underneath, use leverage to lift it up ourselves."

"There shouldn't be a need for that," explained Vaurin. He saw a depression in the wall, with an etching on it that resembled a Skeksis claw. That had to be it. It was ridiculously high up, though. Too high for a single gelfling to reach without a boost.

"Shit," sighed Vaurin.

Laro looked up. "Are we trying to reach that?"

Vaurin nodded.

"Shit," repeated the Sifa. He shrugged. "Well, you could climb up on my back to do it."

Vaurin nearly agreed with that, but then he looked back at their hostage, and he got a better idea. "Why go through the bother when we have someone here than can reach it with ease? Ritual Master, come over here and make this thing work. Dismiss your crystal bats, as well."

SkekZok reluctantly gave a wave of his staff, lighting up the tip of it. The bats dispersed, and he came over to the wall where the two armed gelfling waited. Both Vaurin and his companion took a quiet step back as the Skeksis approached, instinctively distancing themselves from the towering creature, while keeping their weapons at ready. SkekZok lifted his right claw and pressed it flat against the panel. The square section depressed as a result, and the portcullis lifted with a mild shudder. It seemed they kept that one well oiled. Sensible, given that they probably made use of this chamber frequently.

The others joined them inside the chamber as soon as the way was clear, and Vaurin quickly explained everything to them. "We don't have much time before the portcullis shuts again, but that isn't an issue while we have this one in our custody. Everyone, start gathering up the flasks to put them in the packs we brought. Hopefully we have enough room between the lot of us to get them all. Laro, watch the chamber entrance and corridor for enemies."

"Will we join the main fighting force afterwards?" someone asked.

Much as Vaurin wanted to do just that, theirs was a crucial and specific role to fulfill. "Not while carrying such precious items. Our task is to get the essence safely out of here. We make our way back out of the castle and into the cover of wilderness at the appointed spot. No more talk about our plans."

He glanced meaningfully at their Skeksis hostage, and the others fell silent in understanding. It wouldn't be wise to discuss such things in front of SkekZok, even if he couldn't share information he heard until well after they were gone. Skeksis already knew about the fleet of ships, Vaurin was sure. Crystal Bats had already been spotted on the coast. He didn't believe for one moment that the enemy wasn't already aware of some of their plans, but he wasn't about to give them further insight.

* * *

Deet tossed fitfully on the floor of the cave, her cloak spread out beneath her to provide some cushioning. Her body was restless, but her spirit self was sitting in the throne room of the Crystal Castle. She was guiding Rian there, urging him on while the other fighters cleared the way and kept enemy forces at bay for him.

Unaware of the concerned podling and gelfling eyes watching over her body, Deet put forth her best effort, forcing herself to give one final push to ensure her people succeeded in their goal. She took control of one Garthim during the final struggle to the crystal chamber, using it to aid the Gelfling in their fight against other Garthim. Rian shouted warnings not to attack the one Deet was controlling until she lost her hold on it and could use it to their advantage no more.

She saw her mate get a boost from Lore to make it up on top of the Dark Crystal's surface, watched him produce the shard from the satchel he'd been carrying it in and rear back with it. Rian drove the shard into the hole it had come from, joining it with the crystal once more. It wasn't a perfect fit, Deet noticed. Perhaps in his haste, Rian didn't align the shape of it properly enough. It shouldn't matter overly much though; so long as the crystal was reunited with the lost piece, it should be enough.

Nothing spectacular happened, but then, she hadn't been expecting it to. The pulses of corruption coming from the crystal did cease, and its color seemed a bit lighter, but it didn't return to its pure state. That would require conditions that weren't due to occur for nearly fifty trine, but at least the process of corruption was halted, for now. Perhaps with time, it might slowly reverse and the realm would recover from the damage done to it.

Exhausted, feeling like she'd been drained of essence herself, Deet lost her hold on the dream space, along with her consciousness. She didn't hear Hup's frantic calls for her to wake, but as she fell into a deep, healing slumber, she did hear the song of Thra. It wasn't as fractured as before. It seemed stronger now. Deet smiled in her sleep.

* * *

-To be continued


	19. Chapter 19

Seladon paced the throne chamber, restless and eager. She knew that her husband was alive; she could feel his presence getting steadily closer through their bond. For whatever reason, Vaurin and his team hadn't returned with the others.

Rian sent word that they'd made their way to the storage chamber after fusing the shard with the crystal, and they'd found the Ritual Master there, bound claw and foot, beaten up a bit but otherwise whole. Of Vaurin and his group there was no sign, but what little Rian could get from SkekZok suggested that their missing comrades had made off with all of the intact essence flasks within that chamber and were alive and well.

Unfortunately, the rest of the fighting force couldn't wait for them. The Skeksis were waking the rest of the Garthim within their castle by the time they finished, Deet was in a cave near the castle with only two guards, and it was only a matter of time before SkekSo organized a vengeful counterstrike against all Gelfling. Rian's group was on its way, but they had been separated from the others and couldn't say how far behind they might be.

Seladon didn't doubt the warnings that the Garthim were more numerous than anticipated. She believed their accounts that there was an entire army of them waiting in reserve; possibly intended to gather all Gelfling from every corner of the land for harvesting. Now Skeksis had other reasons to send them out, and the sands were running out in the hourglass.

She held no fault with Rian or any of the other leaders of the strike force for making the decision to leave before more opposition could hinder them. Perhaps at one time she would have, but she had been forced to see things in a broader scope, and Vaurin was resourceful.

Even so, it was torture to wait for him. She felt like she was straining against some invisible leash, longing to go out and meet her husband, rather than wait for him to finish the journey back to her. Her sister, after getting cleaned up and changed, watched with Rek'yr as Seladon traversed the polished floors and kept looking out the windows.

"Seladon, you really should rest. I'm sure Vaurin is safe. You said yourself that he wouldn't want us jeopardizing our goal with procrastination."

"That's true," agreed Seladon softly, finally coming to a stop. She looked over her shoulder at her sibling. "He wouldn't. Even so, he is my prince. I won't leave here without him."

Brea didn't argue with that, but she exchanged a look with Rek'yr. They seemed to communicate silently, and the Dousan stood up from his seat and spoke up.

"All Maudra, it would be my honor to take Bennu and search for your prince and the rest of his crew. Skeksis are sure to unleash their fury on us soon. Hastening Vaurin's return with the essence would only serve to benefit us all."

Seladon perked up. She had considered sending someone to search for and meet up with Vaurin's group, to aid them if they needed it and help them return to Ha'rar faster. She'd only decided against the idea because the exodus was now underway, and they needed to begin final loading of cargo before boarding passengers as listed. She and her family were supposed to be amongst the first to board the ships.

"Are you certain you want to do this?" Seladon asked, giving him the chance to back out. "I can't guarantee that your ship will still be at port if your search keeps you for too long."

Rek'yr nodded. "I'm certain, Lady Seladon. Bennu can fly me to my assigned vessel, should I miss boarding it the conventional way. Crystal Skimmers can fly quite a ways out to sea before fatigue sets in. I don't imagine the ship would get too far in the time it would take for me to collect the Prince's group."

"Then you must make haste," suggested Seladon. "Gather what supplies and crew you may need, and set off immediately. I can tell you that Vaurin is to the south, near the Black River. Unfortunately, I can't pinpoint his location."

"Then south along the river is where we'll search," answered the Dousan.

He turned to Brea, who looked both proud of his offer and worried for him. He took her hands and he gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead. "I shall return, my princess. I will see you on the ship by nightfall. This, I promise you."

Brea nodded, and she stepped back from him with a deep sigh. "Until then. Please take care."

Rek'yr said nothing to that, probably because there was nothing that needed to be said. He bowed to both women before making his exit and leaving them alone in the throne room. Seladon waited until he was gone before turning to her sister.

"Brea, I want you to take two paladins and go to the port. You are to board our ship as soon as it's ready to take passengers."

"But, I don't want to leave you here by yourself."

Seladon hardened her tone. "Don't argue with me, little sister. I won't leave until I have my husband at my side, but there is no point in you staying behind to delay your egress. Your betrothed will meet up with you regardless, so there's nothing to keep you here save your stubbornness."

"How can you say that?" Brea's eyes were wide and shocked. "Do you _really_ suppose staying by my pregnant sister's side to assure her safety isn't good enough reason? That you mean so little to me?"

"Brea, calm yourself," advised Seladon, softening her tone. "I didn't mean to imply—"

"Well, you did," snapped the scholarly princess with a huff. "I understand that you're trying to think as All Maudra right now, but you are still my sister. Don't ask me to—"

Her tirade was interrupted by a paladin of the citadel, who burst in without announcement. His eyes were intense with alarm, and his tone was clipped and urgent. "Forgive the intrusion, All Maudra, but a hoard of Garthim have been spotted to the south. It isn't much of a stretch to assume Ha'rar is their destination. Citizens must be evacuated to the coast with all haste!"

All conversation ceased. Both the All Maudra and her sister stared at the messenger, though they had both been expecting the Skeksis to strike back. It was just happening sooner than anticipated, and the timing was frankly awful.

* * *

"Deet." Rian had been checking on her every hour since everyone regrouped and began the journey back to Ha'rar. Stone in the Wood had already been evacuated, thanks largely to Kylan and others who volunteered to act as protectors and guides to the remaining villagers. Even some of the podling villages—including Hup's home town—had been at least partly evacuated.

If only Deet would open her eyes, so that he could tell her about all the good they'd done together. He knew she would be happy to know that some of Hup's folk could be convinced to come along on the migration and being welcomed.

She did not stir, though. She lay unresponsive, so deeply asleep that Rian couldn't even reach her through dreamfasting. He wanted to take her to Mother Aughra to be sure this was just the sleep of exhaustion, a healing slumber necessary to recover from the monumental amount of raw energy she'd wielded. Unfortunately, there was no time to make the journey or attempt to send for the ancient. The Garthim were coming, and in numbers so great that they couldn't hope to hold them all off with what remained of their special weapons.

Hup came up beside Rian in the back of the wagon, and he looked down at Deet's swaddled form with a frown to match the gelfling's. "No change?"

"None," sighed Rian. He made sure Deet's blankets were secure around her, and he glanced around at the landscape passing them by. They had gone through the pass in the mountain range that led down to the shoreline, where the fleet was already in the process of taking on the first passengers.

"There aren't any traces of Darkening, at least," he said, as much for his own comfort as for Hup's. "No tracery of purple on her skin. She's a bit pale, but her breathing is deep and even. Like any healthy sleep. We'll just have to stay vigilant, wait it out and have faith in her strength."

The podling nodded in agreement. He peeked outside the covered wagon to see their travel progress, and just as he did, the caravan came to a halt. Hup looked back over his shoulder and exchanged a frown with Rian. As he began to open his mouth, probably to inquire as to what could be the cause of the unscheduled stop, voices floated back from the front of the procession...voices raised in alarm.

"The farmlands," called the captain leading the Spriton ranks, "they are under attack! To arms, to arms!"

Rian immediately reached for the hilt of his blade and crawled over to the back of the wagon. Hup had already jumped out and was on the ground with his spoon in hand when Rian joined his side. The pair looked around to see their convoy tightening ranks, forming a defensive circle around the more vulnerable supply carriages and wagons.

Rian was shocked by the number of Garthim rampaging through the farmlands of Ha'rar, and some of the creatures, upon finding no Gelfling inside the dwellings they were destroying, immediately took notice of the large travel group on the road.

"Just what we need," sighed Rian. Now he could hear horns blowing from behind the walls of the city up ahead. The Vapra were apparently aware of the threat. It was too far away to tell, but Rian was sure the paladins were already taking up arms at the walls to buy time for their people to evacuate via the mountain trails leading to the coast.

Gurjin rode up on his land strider, and Naia was close behind him. He looked to Rian, then at the imposing threat of Garthim abandoning their destruction to converge on the traveling group.

"Looks like they'll have to set sail sooner than planned."

Rian nodded. "We knew this might happen. We should send one of our fastest riders as a courier to the Citadel, let them know we're in the territory and have to fight our way through."

"I doubt they'll have fighters to spare to come to our aid," predicted Naia grimly. "We may be on our own in this, Rian. What Vapra forces aren't guarding the fleet are likely only still stationed at the capital to defend and escort the All Maudra and the council."

"I realize that," he answered, eyes on the creatures lumbering closer and closer, "but all the same, they need to know our situation. I think we can handle these ourselves, but there's bound to be more Garthim on their way."

"So we beat back the immediate threat," reasoned Gurjin, "and then make a dash for it before we get overwhelmed."

"That's our only option, I'm afraid."

The Drenchen siblings looked at each other and shrugged in unison. Naia began to load her bola, and when Rian gave her a puzzled look, she smirked. "I made some with chunks of the same crystal we use in the spears, rather than stones. It doesn't kill them like a jab from the spears will, but it can still crack their armor and trip them up."

Rian offered a nervous smile and a nod. Right now, any advantage they had at their disposal would help. They were terribly low on crystal spears after the fight, with less than half their forces still armed appropriately for a confrontation with Garthim. Hit and run was their best chance now.

* * *

Seladon cast a scathing glare at Captain Nethrid when the other female again tried to coax her out of the chamber. The rest of the council and the Maudras that had stayed behind were already gone and on their way to the ships, but Seladon adamantly refused to follow them. Her sister, however, did not need to stay and Seladon turned to Brea sternly.

"It's time, sister. Go with the others. Your loyalty to me is impressive, but there's nothing more for you to do here. I'll come when I know there is no other choice."

"I'm staying," Brea stubbornly persisted. "It isn't just about you now, either. My betrothed is out there, and I won't leave until he comes back or these walls start crumbling down around us."

Seladon opened her mouth to argue, but then shut it. What right did she have to make a demand of her sister that she herself was unwilling to fulfill? Both their men were out there now, and if there was one thing Seladon could appreciate, it was Brea's desire to wait on her life partner.

"Very well," said the All Maudra softly. "I can't fault you for waiting on him. Captain, you should—"

"I will not leave my lady's side," stated Nethrid. "Even if it costs me my place on a ship."

"That won't happen," insisted Seladon seriously. "The fleet won't leave these shores until the coast is swarming with Garthim and no more fleeing Gelfling are in sight. You will board with me if your assigned ship is filled to capacity, but you won't be left behind and that is final."

Nethrid's expression softened, though she put one hand on the hilt of her blade and knelt before Seladon. "As my lady commands."

Satisfied that she'd made her point, accepting the fact that she wasn't going to get her sister to budge, Seladon turned on her heel and walked over to the window overlooking the capital. She placed a comforting hand over her belly when the baby stirred within her, and she watched the flow of foot traffic from her vantage point. Her people were moving quickly, and she was proud of how orderly the egress was being handled.

As terrified as the Vapra citizens had to be, there was no pushing, shoving or disorderly conduct. The people followed the instructions of the paladins as they were moved along through the streets. Their trajectory of course would take them to the northern gates of Ha'rar, where transport waited to take as many gelfling as possible down the mountain paths to the coast. Those that couldn't fit into wagons or carriages would have to make the journey on foot, while the citadel paladins took up the rear to defend the people against any Garthim that made it through.

Many of those paladins would lose their lives today, Seladon realized. The gilded barrier of the city gates would only hold for so long against the strength and numbers of the enemy. Those who had pledged themselves to the protection of the realm would stay behind until the last citizen was safely out, and only then would they move to join them.

"The debt that we owe you is a heavy one," murmured Seladon, watching with troubled eyes as her paladins flanked the fleeing citizens, armed with special weapons to use against the enemy. When and if this journey was safely completed, when her people established a place in the new land to begin building and settling, there should be a memorial. Those who gave their lives so that other gelfling might survive and rebuild must be honored and remembered as the heroes they were.

It wouldn't be enough. Honoring the dead and their sacrifices couldn't bring them back, couldn't return lost mothers, fathers, sons or daughters. It would be a long time before Gelfling would recover and heal from this, and perhaps the process would never be complete. This tragic time in their history would remain etched into memory for generations to come, and should they one day manage to return and see the end of Skeksis reign, it still wouldn't be to the same lands they once knew. Everything would be in ruins by then, she thought.

Seladon heard the heavy double doors fly open with a crash, and she instinctively reached for the dirk in her belt as she whirled around with alarm. It was no black chitin monster that came through those doors, though, no twisted, hateful Skeksis.

It was her husband, and with him was Rek'yr and Amri of the Grottan.

* * *

For a timeless moment, Vaurin just stood and stared at his mate, letting his eyes travel over her form in search of any hint of injury. Once he was satisfied that she was safe and unharmed, he found his feet again and he crossed the distance between them urgently. He knew what he must look like; smeared with grime and blood, sporting nicks and scratches on his hands, arms and face. To his wife's credit though, she was looking at him like he was some beautiful hero figure sent down from the stars themselves.

She came into his arms, and he embraced her fiercely as he breathed in the scent of her. He actually breathed a touch too deeply and ended up with some of her hair up his nose, causing him to sneeze. Vaurin ignored it and finally pulled back, meeting her eager gaze and placing a reassuring hand over the mound of her belly.

"We're going," he stated simply. "Now."

For once, Seladon didn't try to pull rank on him. She merely nodded and took his offered hand. Brea and Rek'yr were still locked in an embrace as the royal couple turned for the door, and it was Amri that reminded the other couple of their predicament with a soft, meaningful cough.

"The crystal glider is waiting on the parapet for us," explained Amri when Brea eased her embrace to look at him. "With Rek'yr's crew. We can ride uh...what was its name again?"

"Bennu," supplied the Dousan warrior. "His name is Bennu, and he'll not leave without me. Even so, I fear time is of the essence. Garthim had already broken through the main wall when we flew overhead. Lured by the fleeing Gelfling they sense, it won't take them long to reach the upper city."

"Of course," agreed Seladon, her voice trembling only slightly.

Vaurin guided his wife along with care, despite the urgency of the situation. She was too pale, he thought, and he sensed that something wasn't right with her internally. That concern became magnified when Seladon's steps faltered for a moment, her pallor increased and she pressed a hand against the left side of her abdomen.

"Beloved?" he asked softly, falling slightly behind with her as the others hurried on to the outer parapet.

"It's nothing," she insisted. "Merely a stitch. I fear I can't move as swiftly as the rest of you, right now."

He made a quick decision, driven as much by practicality as by valor. Vaurin scooped his wife up into his arms bridal style, grunting a bit but steadying himself quickly. "Then allow me to carry you."

"Vaurin, you'll hurt yourself—"

"I haven't spent all this time training and strengthening my body only to let my pregnant wife strain herself and our baby," he insisted. "If I can take down Garthim, I can carry you for a bit."

The touched look she gave him almost made him forget how dire their situation was. Almost, but not quite. Brea had paused to look back at them, and Vaurin gave her a wordless nod to assure her that he had everything handled. After a moment's hesitation, the princess continued on.

* * *

"Rian, how is it?"

The Stonewood leader glanced down at his bandaged torso with a grimace, and he answered his friend to the best of his ability. "Hurts, but I'm alive thanks to you and Naia. If you two hadn't distracted it, that Garthim might have gotten hold of me instead of hitting me with a glancing blow."

Naia was squatting next to Gurjin in the back of their wagon, and she regarded Rian's binding with a frown. "You've probably got a fractured rib, if not broken. I could try to use my healing vilyaya, though I can't promise it will do much good. Too many distractions."

Rian shook his head. They were currently fleeing after confronting the closest beasts and clearing the way, and the ride was extremely rough. Every bump and jostle sent pain radiating through his body, but he couldn't very well call for a halt. Even with the distance they'd put between themselves and the enemy in their flight through the streets of Ha'rar, there were more Garthim everywhere.

"No stopping," he grunted. "I'll make it. We have others in the ranks that are worse off than me, anyway. If we make it to the fleet, I think...your mother will have to see to them first."

Naia sighed and nodded. "It takes a lot of concentration," she admitted, "especially when tending serious wounds. Mother is definitely more skilled and powerful than I am."

"You'll get there," encouraged Rian, managing a weak smile. "Just have to...stay alive. Worry about improving after we survive all this."

"Least we can do is try to pad you a bit more," offered Gurjin. He gathered up some supply sacks and tried to situate them around Rian to provide cushioning.

"Ow," complained Rian after being poked by something in one of the sacks. "Gurjin, I appreciate the thought but some of these have weapons in them. You're more likely to skewer me than make me more comfortable."

"Oh." Gurjin looked faintly embarrassed. "Right. Didn't think about that."

"How is Deet?" asked Rian, directing the subject away from himself.

Naia twisted around to look at the nearby Grottan, lying in the other corner of the wagon. "Still no change, I'm afraid."

Having expected as much, Rian accepted the answer. "What about Hup? Is he still keeping up?"

Gurjin looked out the back of the wagon. "Yes, he's still riding Lore. They're right behind us. I don't even see any Garthim now."

"Give it time," predicted Rian. "The city's been all but emptied, so we'll probably have another mass of them to fight through once we reach the northern gate."

The twins looked at each other, and Naia shared an unfavorable observation. "We're nearly out of spears. We won't have enough to withstand another large group of those creatures."

"We have to try," insisted Rian. Hopeless though it seemed, he refused to give up. Not when they were this close, and not when he had such a potentially bright future to look forward to with Deet. How optimistic she'd been about the exodus, constantly reminding him that they weren't just losing an old way of life; they were gaining the opportunity to start anew, to reframe a society for future generations that could be much better for them. Gelfling would have to work together, toss aside old prejudice and mistrust. As far as Deet was concerned, that was a good thing.

One of the captains in their ranks fell back to shout a report to Rian, and what he said gave cause for more than a little surprise.

"Prince Rian, the way is clear to the shore! We're going to make it!"

Confused but warily optimistic, Rian; tried to get up. Naia quickly stopped him with a warning reminder of his injuries, and she and her brother rolled up one side of the covering to see for themselves what the captain was talking about.

"Well?" pressed Rian, losing patience after a moment.

"It's true," confirmed Gurjin. He was grinning broadly when he looked back at Rian. "We have an unexpected escort, Rian. Seems the Dousan aren't as low on weapons as we are, or else they re-supplied somewhere. Two of those gliders they ride are hovering overhead carrying Dousan armed to the teeth. Looks like they killed off all the garthim in the area before we got this far."

Rian closed his eyes in relief. Though he was prepared to fight until his last breath, he hadn't entertained great hopes that they would make it down to the coast with the rest. The odds had seemed stacked too greatly against them, but this unexpected help brought a new surge of hope with it.

* * *

"Bring her here," demanded Maudra Laesid as soon as they boarded the ship and she had one look at Seladon. "Quickly, now. Lay her down in here and draw those curtains behind you."

Prompted to greater urgency by her tone and actions, Vaurin followed behind the blue healer as instructed. He carried his now panting wife over to the nest-like bed inside the cabin that had been set up for the All Maudra, and he looked on anxiously after easing Seladon down onto it. Behind him, he could hear the rustle as his mother closed the curtains.

It had been Jeni that figured out what was going on. No sooner did Vaurin and his company set foot on the ship then Seladon's condition worsened, and Jeni was the first to greet them and realize what was happening. She immediately sent Jermid off to find Maudra Laesid, insisting that Seladon needed the attentions of the powerful healer.

Now, watching his beloved's strained face, the sweat beading on her brow, it was finally dawning on Vaurin that this was no mere stitch in his wife's side. She was having contractions, and far too early in her pregnancy.

"Mother," he said as Jeni came to his side again. He couldn't take his eyes off Seladon, and he could hear how small and afraid his own voice sounded. "Is...is she going to lose the baby?"

Jeni squeezed his hand, her eyes also on Seladon. "It's in Thra's hands, son. The stress of her situation is most likely the cause of her contractions. Maudra Laesid will know if it's a problem of the body or the mind, though. Give her time to examine her."

"What can I do?" He fought a lump in his throat, and a tide of guilt swelled within him. "I shouldn't have left her. I should have stayed by her side. She never would have waited so long to leave if not for me and my thirst for vengeance."

Jeni turned to look at him, and her eyes were filled with motherly concern. "Vaurin, don't accredit yourself with more responsibility in this than you've earned. Pregnancy and birth have never been easy for any woman, and Seladon has faced challenges most of us don't. You didn't cause this. Early labor can happen to anyone. Nature doesn't discriminate."

"Yes, but—"

"Did Seladon beg you to stay?" interrupted Jeni.

He blinked at her, and she clarified for him. "When you volunteered your blades to this last effort, did your wife ask you to withdraw your support? Did she request you stay out of the fight and remain behind with her?"

"No," answered Vaurin. "Not at all. In fact, it was the opposite. I was the one facing uncertainty, and Seladon insisted that I not falter for her sake. She...didn't want me to live with any regrets. Said I needed closure to let go of what happened to me and move on."

Jeni nodded as if unsurprised. "Then there you have it. She's a wise girl, your Seladon. I'm sure you did your best to hide it, but a woman knows when her mate isn't at peace. You did what you had to do, and that isn't to blame for this current trouble."

"But...what can I _do_?" he repeated helplessly, gesturing at his groaning wife. "I started this with her. I can't just stand back on the outside, looking in while she struggles and suffers."

"No," agreed Jeni, "you can't. I'll tell you what to do, son. You go to her. You hold her hand and stay at her side. Lend her your strength, and I don't just mean figuratively. The bond you share with her will help. Let your strength flow into her through it. As a husband and the father of this child she carries, that is the best you can do for the both of them."

Jermid came running in, and Jeni reached out to halt him before he could get in the way or disturb Laesid's healing trance. She put a finger to her lips and shook her head at her youngest son, a silent warning not to disrupt anything. Jermid looked between her and Vaurin, his face full of questions.

Vaurin's uncertainty gave way to determination as he looked back at his wife again. His mum was right; he wasn't doing any good to Seladon by standing there whimpering over the situation. His wife needed a strong and supportive mate now, not a scared childling.

"She isn't going to lose our child," he stated firmly, and he crossed the room to the bed, sat down on the edge of it and took one of Seladon's hands in his. Her grip was strong, and that was heartening. She looked up at him with pain-filled amber eyes, and he could see and feel the fear in her.

"I'm here, love. Focus on me." Vaurin brought her clenched hand to his lips and kissed the top of it. "We're going to beat this together. Rhue isn't coming out until it's her time to. We won't let that happen. Do you believe me?"

Seladon nodded jerkily, a tear etching its way down her cheek. She sucked in a few sharp breaths, and she stilled when Laesid requested her to.

"I know it hurts, dear," soothed the old Drenchen Maudra, "but I need you to be as calm as possible, both in mind and in body. You've been through too many shocks, I'm afraid. It's tricking your body, making it want to rid itself of something it thinks is endangering it."

"I...don't understand," said the All Maudra in confusion. "How could this childling be a threat to me, or to my body? She was conceived with love, and very much wanted."

Laesid glanced at her from beneath droopy eyelids, and she gave her a wry, humorless smirk. "Don't look for logic when it comes to instinct, childling. Instinct knows survival, not love. Instinct has the body convinced the condition your in hinders your ability to survive, understand? There's no malice in it. Harder to flee or fight when you've got a big belly, wouldn't you agree?"

Vaurin understood what she meant, but there was no comfort to be had in that reasoning. "Well, how do we _un_-convince it? What can we do to make her body stop trying to reject our daughter?"

"Calm the contractions," answered Laesid with a shrug. "Seladon's head has to be stronger than her instinct, if she's to quell the flight response she's under."

Laesid looked down at Seladon again. "You have to fight these contractions. Don't bear down with them. Keep as calm as you can and remind yourself that you're safe, that you aren't in immediate peril. As impossible a task as it sounds, it can be done. I'd have lost my youngest, otherwise."

"This has...happened to you?"

Laesid nodded. "Yes, and I remember well how terrifying it was. You have to focus on how much you want this baby of yours, All Maudra. How much you want to hold her in your arms, watch her grow up, teach her the ways of the world. Put those things at the front of your mind, and do your best to block out the pain."

Seladon compressed her lips grimly, and she squeezed Vaurin's hand harder as she struggled to do as instructed. He in turn set himself to the unfamiliar task of sharing his strength with her. He imagined a golden light flowing from his hand into Seladon's, representative of his love and strength. He probably wasn't doing it exactly right, but her condition didn't appear to be worsening, at least. Dreamfasting was out of the question right now; there was no way Seladon could concentrate enough to achieve that. Vaurin heard himself echo her next moan as the pain she was experiencing seemed to flow into him.

"Be strong," he gasped, even as his own eyes watered with the pain. Distantly, he heard Maudra Laesid humming a soft melody. There was a blue glow illuminating her hands, and whatever her magic was doing seemed to be of some help.

Vaurin prayed their combined efforts would be enough to save little Rhue.

* * *

Chamberlain sneered at the crystal floating in the center of the room, still contemplating what could be done. The crystal wasn't free of their influence, but their ability to use it was quite limited now. SkekTek was unable to create more Garthim or Crystal Bats. The miserable gelfling had managed against all odds to fuse the lost shard of the crystal to the body of it, and so long as it remained in its whole state, Skeksis existence was in very real danger.

"Fifty years not so long a time," contemplated the Chamberlain. "Lots could happen. Skeksis cannot destroy shard, but cannot leave it in place. Could lock it away, but who would be its keeper?"

None of their kind could be trusted. He knew that much. Whoever was assigned the task of guarding the shard would have an advantage over the others. They would hold Skeksis lives in their hands, in fact. All it would take to end them all would be for someone to marry the crystal back to the shard at just the right moment, and that would be that.

"Shard not safe in Skeksis keeping. Not safe with Crystal. Definitely not safe with Gelfling. What to do, what to do?"

He tried to think with a different perspective. All of his best schemes tended to come out when he was trying to manipulate others. As such, the Chamberlain tried to imagine himself as one of his peers. What would the Chamberlain have said if it were the Scientist or the Emperor asking him what to do about the shard? The easiest answer was to ensure that no gelfling could get their hands on it, but how to achieve that?

The Chamberlain looked around at his surroundings, searching for ideas. He could trust only himself as keeper of the shard, but taking on that responsibility would make him a target to others' ambitions. They could toss the shard into the sea, but would that guarantee it wouldn't be found eventually? Some Gelfling like the Drenchen could breathe underwater, and there were depths of the waters in Thra that Skeksis had never explored. What if they one day _needed_ the shard? If something happened to the crystal, that shard could be all they had of it.

A small number of Crystal bats flew in from their latest sojourn, and as the Chamberlain watched them, he observed how very similar each one was to the other. There was no true distinguishing marks or features between each bat, no way to tell one from the other. Even Gelfling had enough unique traits to be told apart from each other, contrary to some claims that they all looked alike.

"Hmm." Chamberlain tapped his beak in thought as he thought on this. The Crystal Bats and the Garthim weren't born of natural means. They were cloned from each other, using the same identical process each time. There was no individuality, only mirror images.

What if there were more than one shard, he wondered. What if it could be replicated, in appearance if not in specific property? If they couldn't safely hide the real shard to prevent Gelfling from ever finding it, then perhaps they could make it less...unique. Less remarkable, harder to distinguish.

The Chamberlain began to grin as his plan formulated, and he knew he was onto something.

"Like needle in haystack," he chuckled. SkekTek could do it, he was sure. The tricky part was going to be in extracting the shard again from the crystal without doing further damage. He would need to convince his peers—especially the Emperor—that it was worth the risk to fracture the crystal again.

* * *

There were still Gelfling trying to make it onto ships when the Garthim reached the shoreline. It was like watching a nightmare unfold, and it was made worse for Vaurin because on top of that, his wife was in such a vulnerable state. The contractions had stopped, thank Thra, and Seladon didn't bleed any as a result of the event. Even so, he feared the reprieve was only temporary. Anxiety was to blame for her close call, and they weren't out of danger yet.

The prince stood on the deck, watching as his fellow paladins fought alongside Sifa warriors on the shore, doing their best to drive back the enemy to give the rest of their kin a better chance. Upon seeing three of the Garthim clamor straight into the water, several of the ships already filled to capacity lifted anchor and departed the shallower water. Nobody knew if the Skeksis' monsters could swim or if they even required air to survive, but they weren't taking chances.

The rest of the Garthim remained on shore, snatching up whatever Gelfling they could. It seemed their orders now were to capture and not to kill, but that was of little comfort. Two Garthim were brought down and their captives quickly freed from the cages on their backs, but several other unfortunates were taken away before anyone could attempt to rescue them.

"They're gathering up as many as they can," observed Vaurin softly, "and leaving with their catch once they've filled their cages."

Beside him, the captain of the ship he was on nodded with agreement. "And our fighters can't get to all of them before the Garthim ranks close and they retreat. We're running out of weapons."

Vaurin noted that some of the ships were armed with special harpoons crafted of the same stuff as the spears they'd been using against the Garthim. They were firing at the menace on the shores, but it was difficult for them to get clear openings. The fighting on the shore had intensified to a point where the ships stood to risk hitting Gelfling with the crystal harpoons.

"Vaurin..."

His ears perked when he heard his wife's weak call from back inside her cabin. Vaurin immediately went in to check on her, fearful that her contractions were starting again. Seladon looked tired but otherwise all right, and he breathed easier.

"Yes, love?" Vaurin sat down on the edge of the bed and took her hand. "Don't worry; I'm sure those creatures can't swim. They might be able to crawl along the sea floor, but the water is deep enough beneath us to keep them from reaching our vessel."

"No, it isn't that," Seladon responded. Her pupils were dilated; probably as a result of the medicated tea she'd been given to keep her calm. "Help them, my love. Help our people. I can...hear them dying."

He nearly told her that they weren't dying, just being captured. It was a foolish thing to say though, because some of the warriors trying to hold back the tide were indeed being killed in the struggle. Those that got abducted were going to suffer a fate worse than death, and unlike the drained that they'd herded onto one of the ships carrying the liberated essence, any Gelfling that got captured this day would not be restored for at least fifty trine.

"I know," he answered helplessly. He stroked her hair, aching inside for his inability to ease her worries. "Our people are fighting, doing everything they can. They're getting as many of the remaining Gelfling onto ships as they can."

"But...not all will make it," she predicted. "Vaurin, I...I..."

"You can do no more than you already have, wife," he told her as sternly as he could. "We knew this was likely to happen. It's been a struggle against time from the start of this, and frankly I think we could have done worse."

She looked so devastated that his stoicism shattered to pieces, and Vaurin bent over her, gathered her into his arms and held her. He rocked her as much for his own comfort as for hers, and he whispered his regret into her hair.

"I'm sorry, my love. So sorry. I couldn't be the paladin you deserve. If I could save them all, I would."

She hugged him back, and he felt the dampness of her tears spreading over his shirt. "No. You've been an excellent paladin. I could have asked for no greater champion."

He sighed, wishing he could block out the sounds of the fighting and the screams of their people for her. "I'll go back out on the deck," he decided, though he was reluctant to leave her side when she was in such an emotional state. "I could lend my assistance with the harpoon launchers, if we aren't too far out from the shore for them to reach."

"No," said the All Maudra, shaking her head. She clutched at his shirt, holding him more tightly. "Stay with me. If we are out of reach, then your presence on deck won't amount to anything. Just hold me."

Having no other recourse, Vaurin agreed. The rocking of the ship would have been soothing to him at another time, but now it could bring no comfort. They were going to lose kin this day, many of which were all but defenseless. There was no help for it.

* * *

The fleet departed before sunset, when the last surviving refugees made it onto a longboat and all that remained on the beach were the bodies of the fallen. Gelfling had put up a strong fight, and as heartbreaking as their losses were, in truth they could have lost far, far more. Even under such duress and opposition, they still managed to get most civilians evacuated and onto ships. The majority of those that didn't make it were warriors, having sacrificed their lives to ensure their brethren got safely away.

It was a somber departure from their lands. As they sailed out to sea, the flicker of orange against the underside of the cloud cover and the smoke rising in the air from Ha'rar left little doubt of the destruction taking place in the wake of this massive attack. Some, like a few of the Grottan clan, opted to stay behind and delve deeper into the earth, or else live a nomadic lifestyle and do their best to survive until their people could return. This too was a sacrifice, a choice consciously made to provide more room on the ships for those evacuating.

Amongst those that stayed behind voluntarily was Maudra Argot, who insisted her time in the world was nearing an end. Deet was already aware of her Maudra's decision, but when she awoke on her ship and understood where she was, the tears came anyway. She wept silently for Argot for a while, not out of bitterness but out of the sad realization that she would never see the feisty old woman again, whom she saw as a mother figure.

Her grief for what was lost couldn't be dwelled upon for long though, because after stumbling in an ungainly manner from her bed and exploring her surroundings some more, Deet came across the Drenchen twins and Amri. They were on the deck beneath a shade structure, looking out at the water and talking quietly with each other.

"Um...hi."

All three of them turned around quickly at the sound of Deet's voice, and while they appeared relieved to see her up and about, there was a guarded quality to their smiles. Deet blinked, and she turned her attention inwards, feeling a sudden tug of panic. Rian was alive, she realized. She could feel his spirit essence inside of her. Of her other friends, she had no means to confirm the same.

"Is everyone safe?" Deet demanded before anyone in the trio could speak to her. "Hup? Brea? The others? Did we lose any of them?"

"Everyone in our 'circle' is fine," assured Naia quickly. "Calm down. We weren't all able to get on the same ships, but everyone is accounted for. Hup is below deck with some of his fellow podling passengers. You know how their kind are; any excuse for a party."

Deet couldn't fault her podling friend for that. After what they'd all been through, Hup deserved some comfort food and drink. "What about Rian? Did he make it onto this ship, or is he on another one?"

"He's here," answered Gurjin. A more genuine smile lit up his Drenchen features. "He'll be happy to see you, too. He's in the healing cabins down below. I could take you to him, if you want."

"Healing cabins?" repeated Deet, alarmed. "Was he hurt? The last time I saw him was just before I lost consciousness."

"He took a blow to the ribs," explained Naia. "Nothing too serious, but he'll be tender for a while. I was able to use my healing magic on him to hasten his recovery."

"Please show me to him," requested Deet. She had so many questions, such as what occurred after she blacked out and when Rian managed to get hurt. She wondered how long she'd been unconscious, how many days out to sea they were, and how long they expected it would take for them to reach the new land. All of that could wait, though. Right now, she just wanted to see Rian with her own eyes and reassure herself that he would be okay.

Gurjin stepped away from his companions, and he joined Deet. He filled her in on some things as he escorted her back below decks and navigated through the corridors separating parts of the ship.

"We got nearly everyone on the ships, but we did lose quite a few warriors in the effort. The Dousan are the main reason me, you and the rest of our group made it here. We fell behind on the flight back to Ha'rar. The Skeksis must have woken up all their sleeping Garthim after we left the castle. They sent them after us. Fortunately, Ha'rar was prepared for an attack and they were already evacuating before the Garthim showed up."

"That's good," said Deet, and if her voice sounded a bit flat, Gurjin didn't say anything about it.

"It could have been a lot worse," stated the Drenchen. "If we'd waited any longer to start loading passengers, we wouldn't have saved half the amount of Gelfling we did. I know it isn't much consolation right now, but we didn't lose any of our closest friends."

Deet nodded. It helped to think of how many were saved, rather than dwell on those that didn't make it. "How long have we been on the water? I have no idea how much time has passed."

"Not even a day yet," answered Gurjin. "All three brothers were still on the horizon when we left. I honestly didn't expect you to wake for another day, at least. You really outdid yourself, Deet."

She said nothing in response to that. It didn't feel like enough. Deet could only imagine what the others must feel like right now, having witnessed the desperate fight to get everyone safely aboard the ships.

Gurjin led her down another set of stairs to the lowest level below deck, and she found herself in the infirmary. There were several healers moving around from one cot to the next, seeing to injured Gelfling. Deet immediately rushed to Rian's side when she recognized him in the dim lantern light. He was a bit pale and there were bruises on his face, but his breathing was steady and his torso was neatly wrapped up.

"Rian," whispered the Grottan, stroking his fringe away from his forehead. She looked up at Gurjin when she got no immediate response. "Are my fathers and brother on this ship?"

"Sorry," he answered, shaking his head. "I saw them board another one with most of your villagers. They're safe, but you'll have to see them from the distance until we make landfall. Although I'm sure if you asked the captain, they could arrange a boat for you to change ships."

"I'll think about that later," she decided. "After Rian is awake. If he's feeling well enough, maybe we could do that. At least I know they're all right, and I have all of you here with me."

"They gave him medicine that'll probably make him sleep for a good while," informed Gurjin with a nod at Rian. "Why don't you get something to eat in the meantime? I'm sure Hup will be more than happy to plate something up for you, and the two of you could catch up."

Though she was loath to leave Rian's side, there really wasn't much she could do for him right now. Food did sound like a good idea, and her stomach agreed with that loudly. "All right. Lead the way."

* * *

Eventually, after the initial trauma of their flight from home settled down, Gelfling began to talk about everything that had happened. Grief began to slowly be replaced by hope, and even some excitement. The Sifa that had seen the new land described it as very similar to home, with rivers, forests, hills and mountains. Songtellers like Kylan performed nightly for the passengers on their ships, which helped to curb some of the anxiety and bring a sense of normality back.

There was nothing to do except wait, and once Seladon felt recovered enough and strong enough to do so, she began holding meetings with the council members aboard her ship. They used domesticated flyers to send messages back and forth between the fleet, and Seladon ordered every captain to keep a close watch on inventory and enforce water and food rationing.

While they had enough supplies to last the journey, what would come after that was the part that inspired Seladon to conserve as much as possible. They would be in a strange land, likely with strange beasts they might have never seen before. In the beginning, the only shelter they were likely to have would be the ships they arrived on and tents. It would take time to learn the territory, build shelter and restructure their society.

They lost two of the fleet in a horrible storm, midway through their journey. One of the ships survived and found its way back to them, but of the other there was no sign. Having no choice but to leave their crystal gliders behind, the Dousan couldn't even search for the missing ship from the air. Seladon led a prayer to Thra in the aftermath, as there was nothing else that could be done.

The weather held well enough for the last part of the journey. There was some rain, but nothing like the squall that took one of their ships. It was early in the morning when the first sighting of land was announced, and the captains of each vessel had to order passengers to stay below when the decks began to get crowded.

Naia led an expedition team to scout the shore and surrounding wilderness, before allowing any other passengers off. She selected a team of all females for the simple reason that being winged, they had greater mobility than their male counterparts. Most of them couldn't stay aloft for very long anymore; a change that was felt across the clans. Only the Vapran females could still take flight without use of a perch of some sort, but even they couldn't maintain altitude for very long. It was a disturbing realization of how quickly things were changing.

Once the scouting party surveyed the territory around the area chosen to disembark, they reported back and confirmed it was safe enough. More Gelfling took to land to begin setting up shelters and campsites. The primary structures to focus on first were the community cooking area, a healing lodge and tents for those assigned to guard duty.

It took a full turn of the moons to get enough temporary shelters set up and finish mapping out the territory. Between fishing and gathering, the displaced Gelfling replenished their food supplies enough to keep everyone fed. Farmers began to work on establishing fields for additional provisioning, checking the soil in promising locations to be sure they could grow produce.

When they were settled in, they restored whom they could amongst the drained they had rescued. Of course there weren't enough flasks to restore all of them; many had already been consumed by the Skeksis before they could be retrieved. Roughly a third of the drained remained in their unfortunate state of being, to be cared for as well as possible until their bodies gave out or the Great Conjunction occurred.

Of the Skeksis, there was no sign of their presence in the new land. No sightings of Crystal Bats or Garthim, no evidence whatsoever that their kind had ever set foot on this continent. With that reassurance came a greater sense of peace, and the exiled Gelfling celebrated the chance to raise their families without fear of the enemy...at least for a while. Mourning ceremonies were also observed, as well as remembrance circles to recount the deeds of everyone they had lost.

* * *

Early one afternoon, two sisters stood together on the hill overlooking the village that was steadily taking shape below. Their people were doing well. The occasional squabble still happened between Gelfling from different clans, old resentments that still lingered. For the most part, however, they were all working together and there had been no talk of any clans parting ways to live separately from the rest.

"I think we're doing well," commented the younger sibling with a sidelong glance at her counterpart. "Better than expected, actually. Despite the odd disagreement, everyone is working together."

The older sister nodded. "We still have a ways to go, but you're right. Of course we have to allow everyone to practice their cultural ways, and we may always need separate leaders and representatives for each clan."

"Maybe with time, that will be a thing of the past too." Brea smiled at her sibling, and she looked down at the extended swell of Seladon's abdomen. "Not before that baby arrives, though. You look as though you could drop her at any moment."

"Just you wait," sniffed Seladon, only partly serious. "Your turn will come soon enough, and when it does I'm going to return every joke and pun you've made about my belly...with interest."

"I'm in no hurry." Brea waved a dismissive hand. "Rek'yr and I are only recently mated, after all. There's plenty of time to enjoy our relationship before we're ready to bring a child into it. Besides, I have the library to occupy my mind."

Seladon glanced down at Brea's hands. Her fingers were almost constantly ink stained since she'd begun working with the Librarian to document the events that led them to settle this land. "You can't write the entire history of our people by yourself, Brea. Don't forget your mate. Even if you aren't in a hurry to start a family, you shouldn't neglect your husband's needs."

"As if I would," snorted Brea. She spotted said husband stepping out of the lodge they were sharing, and she waved at him when he spotted her and smiled. "Does he look dissatisfied to you, sister?"

"I must admit, he doesn't." Seladon smirked at the smitten exchange between the newly wedded couple. It was hard not to notice how often the normally stoic Sandmaster smiled these days, and that was good. Truthfully, Seladon expected it would be some time before her sister joined the ranks of new mothers, and this too was fine.

Brea finally took her eyes off her handsome spouse when his attention got distracted by Maudra Seethi. The sound of a firca drifted up on the wind, and her ears flicked as she listened to it with her sister.

"It sounds like Kylan is composing a new song."

Seladon smiled, shook her head and rubbed her belly. "That isn't the song teller we hear. Listen more closely."

Brea tilted her head and did as advised. "You're right. Kylan's melodies roll more smoothly, and he never hits a sour note. Oh! Is that your husband playing, do you think?"

"I'm sure of it," agreed Seladon, still smirking. "Vaurin is still a novice, but his playing is improving bit by bit. When my paladin makes a vow, he holds to it. He's determined to play a lullaby for Rhue when she comes into the world."

"Well, he does sound better," complimented Brea.

They fell into silence for a while, watching the activity of the village. Eventually the sound of Vaurin's instrument practice faded away, and Seladon spoke again.

"I wonder what this settlement will look like by the next turn of the moons. I wonder how much it will grow by the time my daughter takes her first steps, or speaks her first words."

Brea thought about it for a moment. "Maybe it will reflect all Gelfling cultures by then. Every clan will have an influence in the structures, paths and landscape. It won't look like Ha'rar, or Stone in the Wood, or Sami Thicket or any other clan settlement we used to have. The potential is limitless! Can you just imagine a Vapran style roof on a Stonewood style building?"

Seladon's face scrunched up a bit, and she shook her head. "I'm afraid I lack your imagination, wisp. I suppose if you're right, I'll see it for myself in time. It's going to be hideous."

"Or it's going to be beautiful," argued Brea with a huff. "I think it should come together nicely. With all of us having a hand in it, we're going to build the most unique Gelfling sanctuary ever! Not to mention, the podlings will have their influence—"

"Oh, no," groaned Seladon. "I will not have mud huts in my streets!"

Brea elbowed her gently. "They don't _all_ live in mud huts. Some of the podling houses I've seen are really cute. You should open your mind a little."

Seladon arched her back and rubbed the small of it. "I'll open my mind more when I can sit, stand or lie down comfortably again. It's hard to picture the beauty of this proposed future of yours when all I can think of is how badly I want a nap and a chamber pot."

"Not in that order, I hope."

Seladon narrowed her eyes at Brea, then nudged her. "Brat."

* * *

-To be continued


End file.
